Foetuses
by CJS-DEPPendent
Summary: Sequel to 'Foetus'. After the events of Foetus, House and Cuddy prepare to settle into their new life with their son. But, things are rarely that simple when there is a wedding to plan, family members to argue with and foetuses to shake things up. HUDDY!
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N: **__So here it is. The sequel to 'Foetus' which, funnily enough, is called 'Foetuses' … but don't let that fool you into thinking you have the story line all figured out … because you can't possibly know what's going to happen. Not when I'm still working on it ;)_

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, and as always, keep telling me what you think. I have no idea how long this is going to be, for all I know right now, it could be as long as 'Foetus', longer or even shorter … it all depends on where the story takes me and how you guys respond to it :). As always, in the opening of a new story, I'm open to ideas, so if there's something you'd like to see happen with the characters that you think I could weave in here, tell me and I'll see what I can do :)_

_Finally, this story is dedicated to all my lovely reviewers on 'Foetus', I hope you like it and, to those who requested a sequel, I hope this is what you wanted :)_

_Before we start, though, here's a short 're-cap' type-thing._

_

* * *

_

_So, at the end of 'Foetus', Ben was six months old and House had just asked Cuddy to marry him. _

_In this story:_

_1. Ben is about to turn one year old._

_2. House and Cuddy are still not married_

_3. Wilson's life will also be explored a little in the beginning, but, as always, House and Cuddy are the centre of attention_

_4. There will be more OC's in this one than in Foetus (as you'll be able to tell right from the beginning)_

_5. The 'team' at PPTH right now is Thirteen, Foreman and Taub, but there might be a few appearances by 'the pretty one' and 'the annoying one' as the story goes on._

_6. Since this is a SEQUEL, I strongly recommend that you read FOETUS before this one. Not that FOETUSES will br impossible to understand without you having read FOETUS, but it will help …_

_And now, without further ado, Enjoy!_

* * *

FOETUSES

Six months later, as the date of Benjamin House's first birthday approached, Lisa Cuddy found herself immersed in magazines, ripping out pages and scribbling down references in preparation for her marriage to Greg House.

"So your parents are _really _coming over, then" said House as he entered the living room from the kitchen, a candy bar in his hand

Sighing, Cuddy flipped the page on the magazine she was reading "you know there were other things in there too, like _apples_ and _juices_"

Smiling, House approached where she was sitting on the couch and looked over her shoulder at the photos before her "now why would I eat any of that garbage?" he asked leaning closer to her with a grin.

"Greg …" she warned trying to squirm away from him as his lips searched for her neck

"Hm?"

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked

"Well" he kissed her shoulder "Ben's asleep and your family-from-hell won't be here for three hours, so …"

"My _family_ will be here in _one_ hour …" she smiled at his disappointed look.

Looking around the living room, House shrugged "half an hour should do it"

Not wanting to be _too_ evil, Cuddy let House kiss her for a few moments before pulling away.

"Now, I'm busy … go call Wilson and tell him what a bad fiancé you have" she replied back knowing he hated the fact that her family was coming over, effectively shortening the time they could spend alone together.

"Spoil sport" he muttered straightening his back "plus, why would I call Wilson? All he does is go on and on about Clara and their embryo"

"Wow, what do you have against the kid? Embryo is a little cold, even for you!" she said smiling up at him

"Fine, their _foetus_" he shook his head

"Call him anyway, you can listen to him go on and on about how his kid is going to be great, and you can make him feel bad by pointing out that you have a one year old who not only walks, but also communicates better than anyone else at his preschool" she sighed

"Fine! But when he starts crying, I'm blaming you!" House called over his shoulder as he headed to the study.

In the six months that had passed since Christmas, Wilson had discovered that his girlfriend, Clara was pregnant and, as the eight month mark came and went, he'd entered the stage where all and any conversations were about the pregnancy and the baby.

Ben, House and Cuddy's 11 month old son was developing at an astounding rate, toddling around the house at a pace that many would call running, and talking with a short vocabulary of four words: 'Dada', 'Mommy', 'Nana' (which could mean both grandma or banana), and, much to House's displeasure, 'House!' (always accompanied by an angry tone).

* * *

"House!" Wilson greeted his friend on the phone as he walked through the front door of his home, Clara and her huge stomach behind him

"So, what's up, Jimmy?" House asked casually propping his right leg up on the desk, knowing it would annoy Cuddy

"We just got home from the doctor's" Wilson replied, his voice letting House know he was about to hear a thirty minute story about everything the obstetrician had said and done.

"Oh great" he replied sarcastically

Smiling, Wilson took a seat on his couch and began "yea, we couldn't take it any more, we found out the sex" when House didn't reply, Wilson continued "I'm gonna have a daughter!" he exclaimed

"Great, I'll tell Ben the good news" sighed House turning on the computer before him and deciding that surfing the internet would be enough to keep his mind off whatever Wilson was about to go on about.

Luckily for House, Ben chose that moment to start crying and, yelling a quick "I'll get him" to Cuddy, he bid Wilson good bye.

* * *

"You're a life saver, kid" he told Ben as he took him out of his crib and placed him on the floor, his tinny legs taking a few seconds to hold him.

"Let's go see what mommy's up to" House grinned taking the little boy's hand and walking with him to the living room.

Smiling as she heard the sound of her son's bare feet on the floor, Cuddy put the magazine down on the coffee table and turned to look at her two favourite men.

They really were a funny sight, House with his limp and Ben with his hesitant steps.

"Oh, missed me already?" Cuddy asked House with a grin.

"No!" he replied "Wilson was just about to describe every grainy frame of the ultrasound the future fourth Mrs. Wilson got today, coming back here was preferable"

"Oh, such love" Cuddy replied sarcastically spreading her arms out as Ben ran towards her

"Mommy!" he called as he tripped on the rug beneath his feet and tumbled into Cuddy's arms

"Oh, yea" House acted like he'd just remembered something important "Ben's gonna get a girlfriend" he said

"What?" Cuddy looked confused

Sighing at his fiancé's lack of understanding, House sat next to her and Ben "Wilson's having a girl"

"You mean Clara is" Cuddy smiled

"I'm not really sure anymore" House replied as Ben clapped his hands, recognizing Wilson's name "any way, where are your parents going to stay?" he asked Cuddy as he leaned back on the couch

"Oh … uh …" she looked at him with an uncertain smile

"No …" he groaned rubbing his face with a hand and tilting his head back onto the pillows "No! Tell me you didn't"

"They're my parents … and sister, House!"

"Howsh!" said Ben imitating his mother's tone

"Oh aren't you cleaver?" House asked him with a playful glare

Giggling at his father's face, Ben went back to examining his shoes and attempting to grab his mother's hair.

"I've already set up the spare bedroom for my parents and my sister can stay on the couch. It's only for a couple of days, Greg, they leave the day after Ben's birthday …"

"That's on Sunday! I have to tolerate them for _three_ days!" he whined as his son continued to giggle.

"Well, only two really … it's already 6 pm, then there's only tomorrow and Ben's birthday … that's only _really_ two days"

Glaring at her, House was about to reply when she raised a hand to shut him up. Hearing the sound of an approaching car, Cuddy smiled and handed Ben to him "they're here. Now, try to be civil, and it'll be over before you know it" kissing House quickly on the lips, she slipped her shoes back on and headed to the front door.

"Wanna bet?" House asked in a slight whisper as Ben pointed to his mother, indicating he wanted to follow her. "Alright, alright" sighed House picking the little boy up and standing up himself "we'll go to the door"

As the door bell rang, Cuddy turned to House, her hand already on the door knob. "Be nice" she mouthed opening the door and plastering a smile on her face.

* * *

Jonathan Cuddy was a man in his 60s, a retired Lawyer, he was tall, had once had dark curly hair, much like Cuddy's and had a very strong dislike for his daughter's future husband. Elizabeth Cuddy, Lisa's mother was 59 years old, she had her daughter's blue-grey eyes, what appeared to be, untameable brown hair and, like her husband, had once been a lawyer, but had given up on her job after her second daughter had been born.

Said second daughter, Abigail Cuddy-Jones was six years younger than Lisa and, at 32 was already divorced and had three children; something she never hesitated to throw in her sister's face. Having inherited her mother's hair and father's brown eyes, House found it difficult to believe she and Cuddy were even related, be it physically or mentally.

"Mom, hi!" Cuddy greeted her mother with a hug, then her father with a kiss on the cheek and her sister with a quick 'hello'.

"Greg" Beth smiled at her soon to be son-in-law, having decided, upon hearing the news of her daughter's engagement, to try and get along with the man; as hard as she knew that would be.

"Mrs. Cuddy" he nodded, making no move to hug or kiss her; it just wasn't something he would do. "Mr. Cuddy" he then greeted Cuddy's dad with a quick hand shake, the man's dislike for him more than evident.

"And there's little Benjamin!" said Beth tickling her grandson as he clung to House, trying to figure out what was going on.

The Cuddys had met Ben only briefly after his birth, when Cuddy had called to tell them everything had gone ok and they had flown over. The purpose of the call had been to ease her family's mind without having to invite them over, because, considering she and House had just gotten together, having a family reunion was not what she'd had in mind.

What they found upon arriving at Princeton, had not been what they'd expected either.

Cuddy still remembered her father's face when he had walked into her house, almost a year ago, to find Ben asleep in Gregory House's arms.

Not that she blamed him, after all, she _had_ told her family that she'd gotten pregnant using in vitro. On top of that, she had, essentially, failed him once again. Not only had she not married a nice Jewish doctor and stayed at home to procreate, oh no! She'd had a child with the least respectable man her father could have imagined.

Jon's hatred of House went back to the day when he'd walked in on the diagnostician and his daughter happily making out in her room; her a freshman in university, him the legendary jackass who'd captured her heart. Even though he didn't understand her choices, Jon loved his daughter, and, like every other father, hated every man he didn't see as good enough for her.

Frankly, considering he'd finally decided to make an honest woman out of her, House didn't see why Jon insisted on hating him, but then again, there was that thing about old dogs and new tricks.

"Greg" Abby smiled at her sister's handsome fiancé "missed me?"

"Oh, definitely" he replied with as much irony as he could muster, meeting Cuddy's eyes over her sister's head.

Suddenly, Ben began to wriggle in House's arms "floor?" House asked him

Nodding and pointing at the floor, Ben wriggled some more "flo" he whispered.

Placing his son on the floor and taking his hand, House watched as he began to look up at all the adults around him, his brow slightly creased in confusion.

"Hey, Ben" Beth smiled, crouching before her grandson "remember me? I'm your grandma" she explained

"Guh?" the little boy questioned, obviously having no idea what the woman was on about.

"Grandma" Beth sounded out again, this time slower as Ben studied her face

"Mom, the kid isn't even a year old … it took Josh a year and a half to even say 'dadda', it's not like he's going to …"

"Mommy?" Ben's voice interrupted Abby's speech as he held his arms up to his mother, no longer enjoying the freedom of being on the floor.

"You were saying?" House asked with a subtle smile to Cuddy, knowing his fiancé was loving that her son had just proved her sister wrong.

"Did he just …?" Beth asked looking up at her daughter

"Come here, baby" Cuddy smiled as she picked Ben up and he hid his face in her neck.

"Smart, little guy" Jon said with a smile to his daughter "guess he takes after you" he added, knowing House was glaring at the back of his head.

Sighing, Cuddy moved on "what'd you say we go get you settled in?" she asked nodding towards the guest room and handing Ben to House "Dad, you and mom will sleep in there, Abby will sleep on the couch"

Picking up their bags, the Cuddys followed Lisa to the guest room leaving House and Ben by the door.

"Well, Ben … this is going to be a _fun_ weekend!" said House hoisting the baby up higher on his side and looking after his fiancé and her family as they waked away. It _really_ was.

**TBC**

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed that and are looking forwards to more, because I sure am. As always, please do review and tell me what you think, I'm looking forwards to seeing all you 'Foetus' readers again and, hopefully, meeting some new people too :)_

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N: **__Thank you all so much for the reviews, I'm glad you're interested in this :D_

_So, because you were all such good reviewers (and the story is knew, so it kinda just pours out), here's chapter two … I hope it helps to establish the characters of Jon, Beth and Abby a little better and hopefully leaves you with a few unanswered questions :)_

_Once again, thank you all for the kind reviews, and I hope you enjoy this story as much as you did Foetus and as much as I'm enjoying writing it :D *Hugs*_

_Enjoy!_

_

* * *

_

After the Cuddys got settled in and their bags unpacked, everyone congregated around Cuddy's dining room table.

"Dinner will be out in a sec" Cuddy called form the kitchen

"You sure you don't want any help, Lisa?" Beth yelled back to her as House entered the room with Ben toddling along at his side.

"Lisa called us about five minutes ago" said Jon briefly with a not-too-happy look at House as he took a roll from the basket in the centre of the table and began to eat it.

Hoisting his son up and placing him in his high seat between his and Cuddy's chairs, House rolled his eyes and didn't reply. Not that he didn't have about ten different replies lined up for Jon, oh, he most certainly did, but Cuddy had asked him to be nice and he was at least going to give it a try. Futile as he knew it would be.

"Is Greg there yet?" Cuddy called out as the sound of the oven closing and the smell of the roast she'd just prepared filled the room

"He's here" replied Abby with a large smile at House, her eyes dropping slightly to his shoulder when he looked up at her with a frown.

House didn't really know Abby, but whenever he'd met her, he'd always had an uneasy feeling about her. There was just something not quite right in the way she acted before her parents and subtly jabbed at Lisa.

"Dinner's served" announced Cuddy as she entered the room with a large glass tray containing a fairly delicious looking (and smelling) roast.

"Smells wonderful" smiled Jon standing up to help his daughter place the tray on the table and taking the knife from her "Usually the man of the house would do the honours, but" he looked with distaste at House's cane propped up on the wall close to his chair "I guess I'll have to do"

Feeling Cuddy's hand on his knee as she sat beside him and gave him a warning look, House decided, again, not to take the bait, but he had to admit, Jon was definitely starting to hit his targets.

"Here you go, Ben" she said, her eyes on House to make sure he wasn't going to reply to her father "your special dinner" she placed Ben's blue bowl on the table.

"What's so special about it?" House asked with a slight smile studying the soup that Cuddy had just placed before their son "it's green … ish"

"Taste it" she said rolling her eyes, picking up the spoon and scooping a bit of soup up.

Looking at the spoon as if it were going to attack him, House leant forwards and tasted what was to be his son's dinner.

"Well?" Cuddy asked with a raised eyebrow

Looking around at the other people, House shrugged and replied "it's not so bad"

"Not so bad?" Cuddy asked with a smile as she held the rubber spoon to Ben's mouth "what do you think, Ben?" she asked as he opened his mouth and waited for his mom to feed him.

Smiling widely with the few teeth he had, Ben giggled and clapped his hands "looks like he thinks its more than 'not bad'" said Beth with a proud smile at her grandson as he looked to Lisa for another spoonful.

"You guys start eating" said Cuddy "I'm just going to get him fed before he starts to whine"

Fifteen minutes into dinner, Ben began to get fussy "Come on, Ben, you've only got a little left …" sighed Cuddy filling another spoon and attempting to make him eat it.

When the boy refused to open his mouth, House decided to take over "give it here" he said taking the spoon from Cuddy "eat something, I'll finish"

"Dada" Ben smiled looking up at his father, a frown forming on his forehead as he saw his father fill the spoon and hold it up in front of him. When Ben, once again, refused to open his mouth, House decided to take a different approach. Knowing baby's brains were essentially sponges and that they copied whatever they saw their parents do, he took the spoon to his own mouth.

Tilting his head to the side slightly, Ben watched what his father was doing and, as House was about to eat a third spoonful, Ben opened his mouth and pointed at the spoon.

"There we go" smiled Cuddy taking a bite of her food herself and looking at her son as he opened his mouth again waiting for House to feed him again.

"Whatever happened to 'here comes the plane'?" asked Abby with a frown reaching for the rolls.

Smiling subtly at Cuddy, House replied "that's for less intelligent children"

After that, the rest of dinner was mainly uneventful. That is, until everyone finished and Cuddy stood to clear the plates.

"Lisa, let me help" said Beth beginning to get up

Remembering, from the few things her mom had taught her that she had actually paid attention to, that a good hostess did not allow her guests to 'help', Cuddy, once again, told her mother it would just be a minute and proceeded to clear everyone's plates.

"You know, Greg" Jon called from across the table as House handed Cuddy Ben's bowl "you could help Lisa"

"Dad!" Cuddy called drifting her eyes to House's cane

"Oh, what? So he's a cripple! Are you going to tell me that, as a doctor, he spends all his time sitting down? No rushing around the place, no walking?!" Jon asked, obviously annoyed

"Jon!" Beth called reaching out to touch her husband's arm "stop it!"

"Look at him, he's just sitting there! Lisa did all this" he motioned to the table before him "and he can't even help her get the lousy dishes into the kitchen. What kind of a husband will he make?"

Once again, holding him self back for Cuddy's sake, House merely stood up, took two plates from Cuddy's hands and limped, without his cane out of the room. For a few seconds, there was silence, then, out of no where, there was the sound of dishes falling, not too gracefully, into the sink followed by the sound of the study door slamming.

"Dada!" Ben called as he saw his father exit the room in a less than casual manner

Closing her eyes, knowing what her father had just said had hurt House, Cuddy looked to her mom.

"Mom, do you mind?" she asked motioning to the plates

"Not at all, go ahead, honey" smiled Beth standing from her seat as Cuddy followed House to the study

* * *

."Greg?" Cuddy called from outside the door to the study

"What?!" came House's angry voice from inside. After a short silence, he amended "sorry, come in"

Opening the door, Cuddy found House staring out the window, his feet up on the desk, a medical journal in his lap.

"Greg …"

"Is that how you see me?" he asked suddenly looking up at her "like a damn cripple who's good for nothing?"

"What?!" Cuddy wasn't entirely sure how her father's words had been projected onto her, but she wasn't going to let House believe she thought the same as the old-fashioned old man who'd just insulted him "No!"

House shrugged "maybe he's right, maybe I'm just not husband material …"

"What? Greg! Come on, you're not gonna let him …" but she was cut off by House

"Where's he wrong?" he asked simply

Cuddy knew it was a hard question. It was true, House could do very little around the house, but that didn't mean he was useless, and it _certainly_ didn't make her not want to marry him.

Nodding, House leaned back again "I thought so"

"Hey, that's not fair!" said Cuddy approaching where he was sitting and leaning on the desk before him.

"What isn't?"

"You making it seem like I'm the one who insulted you. I don't think any of the things my dad just said"

House nodded and turned to her "that doesn't make them any less true"

"Greg!" she turned the chair around so he had to remove his legs from the desk and look at her "come on, you're really going to let him get to you like that?"

House merely hung his head "I've been nothing but civil to the guy, Lisa, ever since he arrived. _You_ asked me to be! And he, he's just …"

"I know you have, and thank you for doing what I asked" she leaned forwards and kissed him lightly on the lips "You know he doesn't like you" she shrugged "he hasn't liked you for twenty years, that's not likely to change" she said with a smile, knowing House's mind was also going back to the infamous afternoon.

Pulling her onto his lap, House grinned "honestly, I don't know what his problem is! He should have figured when he had a daughter who looked like you, that he'd be catching several asshole college students with their hands up your shirt"

Laughing, Cuddy kissed him again "sure, but I think he expected them to be rich Jewish cardiologists with great big mansions, expensive sports cars and plans for huge families"

"No wonder he's disappointed in me" House answered back with a grin pulling her into a kiss.

Even after a year, it still amazed him how incredible it felt to just sit there and kiss her. She was his, it had taken him a while, over twenty years, to be exact, but she was finally his, and with every kiss, he became surer and surer that she wasn't going anywhere.

"You coming back to the table?" Cuddy asked when she pulled away from him

Frowning, House shook his head "I'd rather not" he replied sincerely

"Ok" Cuddy nodded standing up "are you just going to stay here?"

House nodded towards his piano in the corner of the room "I'll be fine" he smiled

"Ok, I'm just going to serve desert" and with that, she left.

Sighing and rubbing a hand across his face, House stood and limped over to the piano. The keys were perfectly tuned and the stool at the perfect height. God, he loved his piano.

Letting his fingers take the lead, he settled in and, his feet on the pedals, his eyes closed, he let go of everything that had been bugging him since his soon to be in-laws arrived.

* * *

Desert?" Cuddy asked upon re-entering the dining room with a nice, round apple pie in her hands

"Thank you dear" smiled Beth with a nod "I put all the dishes in the washer, you don't have to worry about any of that"

"Thanks" Lisa replied with a smile taking the knife she'd placed on the table earlier and cutting a slice of pie for every one.

"Cah!" Ben cried as he saw the pie, something he thoroughly enjoyed

"Pie?" Cuddy asked him with a smile cutting off a tiny piece of crust and handing it to him.

Happy to have some food in his hands, the little boy proceeded to nibble on the beige crust as every one else ate.

"Isn't Greg going to join us?" Jon asked as he cut his piece

Straightening her back, Cuddy addressed her father "no dad, he isn't"

"Why?"

"Because unlike some people I know, he doesn't want to make this week end a living hell" she replied angrily putting her fork down. "Why do you insist on attacking him?" Cuddy asked

"Attack?" Jon looked around the table like he didn't understand what was going on "I didn't _attack_ him, I merely pointed out something that, in my viewing, was wrong"

"Yes, well, in the future, kindly remember that, your viewing holds very little weight for me, you know it never did"

"If you listened to me more often, maybe you wouldn't be …"

"Jon! That's enough!" called Beth putting the glass of water she'd just been drinking from back down on the table "can't we, for _once_ have a meal as a family without you two fighting?" she asked

John held up a hand "whose fighting?" he replied, obviously signalling that the argument had ended.

After a few moments of silence, broken only by the sound of chewing and the occasional sound from Ben, Abby stood.

"I'm going to ask Greg if he wants some desert" she announced

In no mood to tell her sister she'd better not, Cuddy just sat there and watched as Abby marched to what would probably be a very sarcastic, very unpleasant experience.

* * *

"Brought you some pie" Abby smiled as she approached where House was sitting at the piano

Looking at her slightly confused, House replied "thanks …?"

"Whatcha playing?"

Still looking confused and, as he usually did around Abby, a little uncomfortable, House set his eyes on the piano "something I wrote"

"I heard it when I was in the kitchen, it sounded nice"

House nodded "thanks …?"

"Maybe you could teach me some time …"

Now House felt Abby move closer behind him and he looked out of the corner of his eyes suspiciously.

"Ok, well, thanks for the pie …" said House trying to get rid of her.

Oh, the things he would say to these people if they weren't Cuddy's family!

"Can I get you anything else?" Abby asked pressing down on one of the keys with what House could have sworn was a playful look on her face.

"Ok …" House whispered low enough that she couldn't hear him, as he let out a breath and began to stand "I have to go put Ben to bed so …"

As soon as he was standing and was sure she wouldn't try to physically stop him, House made a limp for the door and, as quickly as he could, moved towards the dining room.

'Well _that_ was weird' he thought as he walked, hearing Abby's steps behind him.

* * *

"Look whose back" said Beth with a cheerful voice, hoping that House's return meant things were a little better.

"It's time for Ben to go to bed" he said simply as he moved around the table to pick up the little boy.

"I'll be along in a second" said Cuddy with a nod.

As the now tired little boy clung to his father's shoulder, House walked out of the dining room and towards his son's room.

"Well, we had a long drive, I think we should get some sleep" said Beth looking around between her daughters and her husband. When no one replied, she stood and bid every one goodnight, lightly tapping Jon on the shoulder so he'd follow

"Uh, well, Good night" he said with a nod to his daughters as he followed after his wife.

* * *

s she passed by her grandson's room, Beth couldn't help but notice how happy the little boy looked in House's arms as the doctor attempted to remove the child's shoes. You could call her old-fashioned, but she figured a man who loved a child as much as House obviously loved Ben couldn't be as bad as Jon seemed to think he was.

No, Beth had faith in her daughter's decision. After all, someone who could run a hospital full of patients and doctors was certainly capable of finding herself a suitable husband.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Cuddy walked out of the master bathroom to find House sitting in bed, his Hopkins t-shirt, which he'd reclaimed after he'd moved in, slightly visible over the medical journals he was reading.

"You going to be long?" Cuddy asked him as she crawled into her side of the bed.

"Nope" he replied closing the journal "just waiting for you to finish in there" he nodded to the bathroom as he placed the papers on his night stand and turned to Cuddy.

"You know, I'm really happy you managed not to attack my dad all day" she smiled at him as he pulled her towards his chest, resting her back against it.

"All day?" he asked with a smile "that was only a few hours …"

Nodding, Cuddy smiled "sure, Mr. Pessimist, point out the obvious"

"I'm just saying, tomorrow's a new day, a _full_ day"

Grinning, Cuddy turned and captured his lips with hers. If House was still amazed by what a kiss between them did, so was Cuddy. Every kiss still felt like something new, because, no matter how often they found themselves joint at the lips, she never knew what to expect form him.

"Well, _I_ have faith in you" she smirked intertwining her fingers in his and looking down at their hands.

Sighing, House kissed her neck "I make no promises" he whispered smiling against her skin when she sighed

"Ok, if my dad behaves the way he did today, you have _my_ permission to respond" she smiled turning further towards him and kissing him again.

**TBC**

* * *

_And there's chapter two for you. I'm dying to find out if you picked up on the huge hint I put in there for future trouble ;) … I doubt you could have missed it :P_

_Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and please tell me what you thought! :D_

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N: **__I'm sorry you guys had to wait, but I've been having some trouble with this chapter. When I started this story out, I had a nice clear plan in my mind of where I wanted this to go, and I even wrote it down on a word doc so I wouldn't forget anything (which, yes, would happen if I didn't write it down :P). But while the plan is pretty detailed (and I mean PRETTY detailed), I didn't have anything written down for what was supposed to happen on the day between when the Cuddys arrived and Ben's birthday … so I kinda had to come up with this as I went._

_I think it played out quite well in the end and allowed me to increase the tension a 'little' :P Oh, and it's a long chapter too, so bonus for you :D_

_I hope you enjoy it and, as always tell me what you think. I'm loving your reviews and absolutely love seeing all the 'Foetus' people around again, you guys are awesome!_

_Once again, sorry for the wait and enjoy!_

_

* * *

_

"Good morning, sweetie" called Beth as she walked into the kitchen to find Cuddy feeding Ben who, looking absolutely adorable, was still in his pyjamas.

"Morning" replied Cuddy with a quick smile turning back to her son

"Your father's just in the shower he's … Lisa" Beth started as she took a seat before her daughter "listen, about what your father said last night …"

"Mom, really, you don't have to make excuses for him" Cuddy cut in

Shaking her head, Beth continued "I'm not. I just wanted to say that he's not right, Greg isn't all the things he said" she smiled

Looking up slightly surprised, Cuddy smiled and replied "thanks, mom", as she whipped some of Ben's breakfast off his chin.

"Good morning" came Abby's voice as she waltzed into the kitchen

Nodding, Cuddy kept her attentions on Ben

"Did you sleep well?" Beth asked her youngest daughter as Cuddy stood to put Ben's plate away

"Yea, I got some sleep" she smirked at Cuddy "which is more than I can say for you, huh, sis?"

Looking shocked at her sister, Cuddy decided to merely brush the comment off. She had no intention of having her father walk in and overhear Abby's insinuations, no matter how true they may be; there was no point giving him another reason to hate House.

"Where's Greg?" asked Beth taking Ben from Cuddy

With a smile, Cuddy replied "asleep"

Looking at her watch as Ben attempted to grab it and determine what the object was, Beth frowned "it's already 11:50 am …"

"Yea, Greg's a heavy sleeper" she replied turning around to the sink to hide her smile as she remembered him sleeping, one leg hanging out of the bed, his mouth slightly open, the sheets covering him only to the very beginning of his back, leaving the full expanse of his semi-muscular back exposed

"Well, he _must_ be tired" said Abby with another smirk, fighting back the desire to laugh as her mother pretended not to understand what she was on about and Cuddy hung her head over the sink.

* * *

"Ugh" House groaned as he reached the bottom floor fifteen minutes later and saw Jon walk into the kitchen.

He couldn't begin to describe how much he hated the man. And it wasn't just because he grabbed at every opportunity to insult him, no, that he could more or less live with; it wasn't anything his own father hadn't done. It was because of his lack of pride in Cuddy. How could Jon sit there, in the home Cuddy had built for herself, looking at his grandson, knowing how great she was at her job and not be proud? How could he pat Abby on the back every time she popped out another brat and stayed at home to look after it, surviving off her husband's money? How exactly did that happen?

Grabbing his cane from the wall beside the stairs, he began his limp towards the kitchen and breakfast. He _really_ couldn't wait for the next two days to pass.

* * *

"Good morning" House said in an overly cheerful voice as he entered the kitchen where Jon, Abby, Beth with Ben on her lap and Cuddy were already eating.

"Good afternoon" replied Jon looking at his watch, not bothering to greet his future son in law

Meeting Cuddy's eyes over Jon's head, House held her gaze.

At first, it was a look of frustration and anger at Jon's comment, but, as a blush crept up on Cuddy's cheek, it became something different. Still holding her gaze, House smirked and walked around the kitchen knowing she, like him, was remembering the events of the previous night.

"Morning" she said kissing him quickly on the lips as he began to serve himself.

"Slept well, Greg?" Abby asked with an innocent smile, nothing like the insinuating look she'd given Cuddy earlier.

"Sleep? Well, the little sleep I got was good, yes" he replied with a smirk placing an arm around Cuddy.

"House!" she blushed and whispered urgently as Jon looked up from his piece of bacon and moved his eyes between the two of them.

"Howsh!" Ben copied getting a laugh out of his grandmother

House hated how he'd had to act the previous day, backing down against Jon, not arguing back, not standing up for himself. He knew Cuddy had asked him to, but he hated it. Today was going to be different. He wasn't going to be hostile, no, he didn't want to anger Cuddy, but he wasn't going to be the defenceless puppy he'd been the previous day either.

"Do you mind?" Jon asked with a glare as House rubbed Cuddy's shoulder with his hand.

"Not at all" House replied with a smirk taking a piece of bacon to his mouth and grinning as Ben clapped and stretched his hands out to him.

"Looks like he wants his daddy" smiled Beth picking the boy up from her lap and holding him out towards House.

"Dadda!" Ben smiled placing his small hands on House's stubble and hitting him lightly.

"Easy there, Mike Tyson!" winced House as Ben slapped him lightly again.

Turning the boy around and placing him back on his knee, House went back to his breakfast while Cuddy smiled and Jon glared.

* * *

An hour later, once everyone had had breakfast and gotten ready, the preparations for Ben's birthday began. The party the next day was to be a barbeque out in the garden with some of their friends and, therefore, tables had to be set up and the food prepared.

"Shoot!" sighed Cuddy as she opened the fridge

"What?" asked House who had just walked in with a bathed and clothed Ben tripping along at his side

"I forgot the peppers and wine!"

Picking Ben up and sitting him on his high chair, House approached from behind Cuddy and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"We could go and buy some, you know, ditch the family and …"

Smiling sweetly at him, Cuddy replied sarcastically "nice try, but after your little comment this morning, my father is already waiting for the perfect moment to have at you, I'm not going to wonder off with you and give him more reasons to …"

"Come on, we have a kid, I'm sure he already knows we …"

Turning around and looking menacing, Cuddy leaned forwards "generally knowing that you and I have sex is one thing, but to know that it happened while …"

Sighing, House took a step back, his fiancé's stare beginning to burn "fine, have it your way then, _you_ can take _daddy_ and I'll stay here with Ben"

"No, _you_ have to help set things up for tomorrow, put the tables up outside and get the parasols out of the garage, since you can't do that alone and my mom and sister would only get in the way, my dad's going have to stay here and help you" she said, her face showing that she was genuinely sorry for leaving him there.

"Come on, Cuddles!" he called taking another step forwards

"Sorry, but you're going to have to play nice for a little while. Once I get back I'll give you a hand, but until then …"

Pretending to whimper, House pulled her closer and kissed her

"And no, you _can't_ persuade me to change my mind" she smirked as he pulled back with a smile.

The smile being replaced with a glare, House finally let go of her waist and stepped back

"Do you need any help?" Beth called from the doorway, barely three seconds later, making House turn around with a jump as if he'd just been caught doing something he shouldn't be.

Smiling, Cuddy walked around House and picked up her purse "actually, I need to go buy some things I forgot for tomorrow, I could use some help"

"Sure, I'll just get my purse" smiled Beth as Cuddy picked her son up and walked out leaving House standing there looking everything but happy.

Sighing, House pinched the bridge of his nose. For at least an hour, he was going to have to be civil to Jon Cuddy. _Great_.

"Do you want some help with those tables?" came Abby's voice from the doorway moments later, making House jump slightly.

"How'd you …" he really did find Cuddy's sister freaky

"Overheard" she smiled with a shrug stepping into the room

"Ok … um, sure, help would be good … thanks?"

"Ok" she smiled again "I'm just going to call dad, meet you in the garage?"

Nodding with a frown, House watched as she left the kitchen to find Jon, wondering what the hell it was about the woman that made him feel so uneasy.

* * *

"Give me that, I'll do it" called Jon as he entered the garage and found House attempting to push a table out towards the grass.

"I got this, there's another …" but Jon cut him off

"Please, at the rate you're going, we'll be here 'till Christmas; _2010_"

Grabbing an end of the table and dragging it out of the garage, Jon smirked at House as he just stood there, his hand caressing the Vicodin bottle in his pants' pocket, his abandoned cane propped up against a stack of old magazines.

"You can help me with this parasol" called Abby standing beside the yellow parasol in question

Shaking his head, House looked back to Jon as he exited the garage and set the table on the lawn where Cuddy had instructed them to. "It has wheels, just roll it" he replied without looking back at her.

Taking the cap off his Vicodin bottle, House popped one into his mouth and continued to glare at Jon.

Since he'd moved in with Cuddy, he'd cut back on his Vicodin use. Not because his leg didn't hurt as much, it did, but because of a particularly dramatic incident with Ben finding the open bottle on the coffee table and grabbing a few. Luckily House had managed to reach him before any went into his mouth, but still, House figured, a little more pain was better than a dead baby. Much better.

But Ben wasn't here now, and the only Vicodin bottle he had in the house at the moment was the one in his pocket. So he was safe.

"Here, Abby, let me" said Jon taking the parasol from his daughter and dragging it out himself

Rolling his eyes and groaning low enough for his two in-laws not to hear, House moved towards the other two tables, his limp becoming less pronounced as he went.

"Greg, I told you, there's not point …" began Jon but House's movements stopped him.

Pulling the large plastic table, House managed to successfully get it out of the garage and close to the one Jon had just moved.

For some reason angry that House had succeeded, Jon turned and grabbed the last table.

His back turned to House, he did not see the pain flash across House's face as he reached for his right thigh. And for that, House was thankful.

* * *

"You sure that's all we need?" Beth asked Cuddy as they stood at the check out at the supermarket, six peppers and five bottles of red wine later.

Looking at what she'd bought, Cuddy nodded hoisting Ben higher against her side.

* * *

An hour and a half later, House finally heard Cuddy's car pull into the driveway and smiled inwardly. He wouldn't have to appease Jon for much longer.

"Greg?" he heard her call as the front door opened

"Oh" House looked at Jon and Abby with his best 'fake-disappointment' face "gotta go"

Limping away from the tables Abby and Jon had been cleaning and the chairs he'd been placing around them, House shot his cane a quick glance and, deciding he could do with out it, continued on his way back to the house.

* * *

"Did you manage to get the tables out?" Cuddy asked as she stored the bottles of wine away and placed the peppers in the fridge.

Nodding, House leaned on the doorframe

"You ok?" Cuddy asked him noticing he wasn't walking in.

Again, House merely nodded

"Greg …" she took a few steps towards him and immediately saw the pain flash across his eyes as he attempted to move

"Where's your cane?" she asked with concern as his hand massaged his thigh

"I left it in the garage" he replied smiling as Ben toddled towards him and began to bend down to pick the boy up.

"Dadda!" he called looking up at his father waiting for him to pick him up. But when House began bending his right leg, he felt the pain surge through him like lightning and shot back up, his hand falling on his thing and his eyes shutting.

When his father didn't pick him up, Ben looked to his mother with a frown.

Shaking her head, Cuddy looked over her shoulder to make sure her father wasn't around "why is it in the garage?"

House shrugged "I don't ... I _didn't_ need it" he replied simply

"House! You spent an hour moving furniture! Even with the Vicodin you can't …"

"I'm fine …"

Cuddy shook her head "no your not"

"I'll _be_ fine" he conceded pulling her towards him by the waist as Ben continued to look at them confused

"Go upstairs and rest, Greg" said Cuddy letting him kiss her

Rolling his eyes he nodded "yea, _up_ stairs, that's going to happen right now!" he replied sarcastically

Nodding, Cuddy tried again "the study then. Take Ben and go rest for a bit" when she saw he was about to argue, she added "please"

As he conceded and took Ben's hand to start limping into the study, Cuddy called "you know, there's no point trying so hard to prove him wrong. He won't care, he …"

"… just doesn't like me" House nodded and called over his shoulder as he leaned on the handle to the study and slowly opened the door.

* * *

"Where's Greg?" Beth asked as Cuddy entered the garage "and Ben?"

"Greg had to rest, Ben's with him" Cuddy replied picking up a cloth and beginning to clean the dust-covered chairs that House hadn't yet managed to place by the tables.

Walking into the garage with Abby close behind him, Jon laughed "moving a bit of garden furniture too much for him?" he asked with a smirk

"Jon!" Beth whispered urgently as Cuddy looked up, anger more than evident on her face.

"What? I just asked a simple ques …"

"No you didn't ask a simple question!" said Cuddy standing up straight "you do everything in your power to insult him, to make him miserable"

"Oh, I don't need to make him miserable, he already …" but Cuddy cut him off again

Taking a few steps forwards, she continued "you have no right walk in here and insult him! Yes, he needs a cane, yes he's in pain, yes he can't run around here hauling furniture left and right. But how is that a reason for insulting him? I get that you don't like him, I'm not asking you to go camping with him! I'm not even asking you to shake hands with him! But he is my fiancé and he is Ben's father …"

"Great father he must …"

"He is! He is a great father! I didn't think he would be myself, but he is, he loves Ben and he does everything he possibly can for him. Which is more than I can say for you!"

"Excuse me? I gave you and your sister everything you ever wanted!"

"No" Cuddy shook her head "you gave us everything you wanted us to have to turn out just the way you wanted us to! I had to take out loans to get through med-school when you could have paid for the whole thing. You never moved a finger if it wasn't to push us in the direction _you_ wanted!"

"I …"

Hanging her head, Cuddy took a deep breath "you're here for Ben. It's his birthday and he's your grandson. All I'm asking is that you lay off Greg. Because if you don't, you can consider yourself excused from any future family events" she concluded

"I have to agree, Jon" Beth said with a nod turning Jon's attention to her "we're here for Ben. We don't get to see him often and when we do, all you do is insult Greg and, frankly, you never even gave him a chance. You just need to stop"

"I'm not insulting him, I simply …"

"Point out the things about him that you think are wrong and make sure he's more than aware of them!" said Cuddy.

"I …" Jon shook his head. This he had not expected, Cuddy and Beth turning on him, it wasn't something he'd ever expect. He had had fights with Cuddy, more than he cared to admit, but Beth was usually silent. Not that she backed him, she just usually didn't say anything.

"Please, dad" said Cuddy picking the cloth back up "just stop it, because if I have to choose between you and him, I won't think twice"

Turning his back, Jon merely stormed back towards the tables and began his work again.

He knew they were right. He couldn't stand House and, like the good lawyer he'd once been, he was poking at his enemy with every sharp stick he could find, waiting to hit his week point, to make him crack and turn things in his favour. He didn't like House and he didn't like his daughter marrying the guy. He couldn't stand things not working out his way, and he certainly couldn't apologise.

He wasn't sure he even knew how anymore. He was a lawyer, even now, he still thought like one. He went in for the kill every time and everything else be damned. He couldn't apologise to House, he couldn't bring himself to do that. For some reason, it felt like a failure to him.

He knew they were right, but he didn't know how to let them know that. All he new was that, right then, he felt small. Very, very small. His own daughter had succeeded in making him feel tiny. And if her threat to cut him off was true, and there was no reason for him to believe in wasn't, he was going to have to change his ways. No matter how hard it would be, he wasn't going to be cut out of his grandson's life, not when he'd had to wait 38 years for Cuddy to finally give him one.

Of course that didn't mean he was about to throw House a 'welcome to the family party'. No. But he'd at least try to be nicer. As much as was possible.

**TBC**

* * *

_So now Beth is starting to 'grow a backbone' as one of you said she should and Jon is trying to be a 'little' bit nicer … anyone think that's going to work out? :P_

_I hope to update chapter four faster than I did this one, but I, like Jon, don't want to make any promises. :) _

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N: **__So here's chapter 4 :) I hope you like it as much as I do. For some reason I just feel like this one was easier to right and has a whole lot more emotions in it. i.e. it's not a whole lot of action and dialogue, there's a bit more what-people-are-thinking in it, so, I dunno, it just seems like a 'fuller' chapter. _

_As always, thank you all for your lovely reviews! I love all of my old readers (and by old I mean the ones who read Foetus :P) and I definitely welcome those two or three new readers out there who've told me how much they liked Foetus and decided to give this sequel a chance. Thanks to all of you, you're all amazing! :D_

_And, I know this update wasn't as soon as you might have wanted it. But, in my defence, my days have been filled with preparations for going off to uni in the Czech Republic in 3 weeks and with driving lessons ... so I can only write when I manage to squeeze it in between those things, but I promise to try and give you more ASAP. Say, you guys review and I write more, deal?_

_Oh, and the italics part is a memory ... just to make that clear :)_

_Enjoy!_

_

* * *

  
_

That night at dinner, Jon's resolution was put to the test.

Sitting around the dining room table, everyone was silent. House had no intention of pissing his soon-to-be father in law off, Jon didn't want to upset Cuddy or Beth and Abby, as always, was just there, her eyes shooting up to House every so often, her fork moving to her mouth in sync with everyone else's.

Obviously not happy with the silence, Ben began to mumble incomprehensively as House attempted to feed him.

"Dadda ..." the child smiled as he looked up at House, his mouth and chin covered in baby food "gahh!" he cried

Meeting Cuddy's eyes and smile over their son's head, House proceeded to move the spoon towards the boy's mouth again.

Clearing his throat, Jon looked up from his plate "Uh, Greg, could you pass the rolls, please?" he asked as politely as he could, his tone still sounding forced.

Frowning slightly, House nodded and did as he was asked. Looking sideways at Cuddy, House shot her a questioning glance and, merely smiling at her salad, Cuddy shrugged back. House would hate it if he knew she'd stood up for him. If there was one thing he hated, it was being pitied and, no matter how wrong the assumption might be, he would assume she had only stood up for him because she pitied him.

"Hey, kid!" House called as Ben got distracted by his mother's hair which had just fallen from behind her ear "hey, I have food here" House waved the spoon around

"Mommy!" Ben called stretching his hand out towards hi mom's hair and trying to grab at it.

Quickly placing her hair behind her ear again, Cuddy leaned forwards and kissed Ben on the nose "no you don't ... we've been over this, my hair is off limits" smirking she leaned towards the boy's ear "but daddy's beard is fair game if you want to have at it"

"Thanks" House glared as Ben recognized the word 'daddy' and looked towards him.

"He really is gorgeous, Lisa" Beth smiled as she watched the exchange, the mother in her feeling blissful at seeing her daughter so happy with her son and a man who, judging by the look in his eyes, obviously loved her.

"So that piano of yours, Greg" Abby spoke "you had it long?"

"Seven years" House replied taking a bite of his salad, something Cuddy had made it her mission to make him eat regularly.

"It's a beauty, maybe you could play for us" she suggested with a grin as House slid his hand onto Cuddy's knee under the table and gave it a light squeeze

"Ah, my performances are for Lisa only" he spoke as Cuddy grinned at her salad remembering the many times his musical performances for her had ended in other kinds of 'performances'.

Not pressing the issue further, Abby went back to her food as Beth smiled, in her mind, having, for the first time ever, the family dinner she'd always wanted: Her daughters present and not fighting, her husband not attacking her daughter's husband and her grandson smiling happily between his parents.

Thirty minutes later, after the main course and desert had been served, Jon spoke again.

"I think I'm going to bed" he said, his eyes avoiding Cuddy's as they had the whole night, the memory of her words and her threat still vivid in his mind.

Standing with her husband, Beth added "got to get some sleep for tomorrow" smiling, she walked around to Ben and kissed him on the head, the little boy, feeling the pressure, tilting his head back to see who was touching him

"Gah!" he called raising his arms

"Good night Ben" she spoke softly as the boy clapped at hearing his name.

"Night mom" said Cuddy accepting her mother's hug a few seconds later.

Once Jon and Beth had gone to sleep and Abby had excused herself to the garden to call her kids, House picked Ben up and walked with him and Cuddy by his side towards the boy's room.

* * *

"Dadda?" Ben questioned looking at the crib, obviously not wanting to go to bed when there were so many people in the house and, in his little mind, so much going on.

"Time to go to bed, Ben" Cuddy smiled taking him from House and walking towards the crib.

"Mommy, pah!" he spoke looking towards the few toys that were scattered on the floor

"No, bed" said House poking his son in the stomach so that the boy squirmed

"Is daddy tickling you?" Cuddy asked as she pulled her son's shirt off and replaced it with the top part of his pyjamas.

"Dadda!" Ben cried as House hung his cane on the crib and tickled him with both hands now "ha ha! Pah!" he called

"No, not _play_" said House "tickle" he emphasised the word and looked to Ben expectantly, almost like he was waiting for the one year old to repeat the word.

"Pah!"

"He's hopeless" said House shaking his head with a grin to Cuddy when Ben didn't say the right word "he obviously got your intelligence"

Smirking, Cuddy finished changing Ben's clothes and put him in his crib "so when he walks early and learns the right words, he's as smart as his dad, but when he doesn't pick up on new words within seconds, he's dumb like mommy?" she asked House

Nodding, House waited for her to finish tucking Ben in and pulled her closer to him "exactly"

"Hardly seems fair" she said with a fake pout as House leaned forwards kissing her lightly

"I know" he grinned pulling back "sucks to be you"

"Meh" Cuddy shrugged "It's not so bad"

Smirking, House kissed her again, this time pulling her towards him with greater force, smiling into her lips as her hands found his neck.

"You coming up?" Cuddy asked him and, as he smirked, added "up _stairs_"

"What else would I think you meant?" House asked innocently, kissing her once more "I'm gonna play for a bit, you could come along" he added with a grin moving his hands slowly down her back.

"Hm ..." she leaned forwards and kissed him "Tempting but, tell me, do you _want_ my father to skin you alive?" she asked

Glaring at her for mentioning her father, House moved back from where he'd been kissing her neck "fine" he pouted like a five year old.

"Mature" she shot back giving him a quick kiss on the lips before leaving the room and heading up the stairs.

Limping towards Ben's crib to retrieve his cane, House looked down at the little boy and was met by his blue eyes staring back.

"Your mom is a piece of work" he said smiling at Ben

"Dadda" Ben called raising his hands up.

Judging by his wide open eyes and active legs and arms, House figured there was no way the boy was going to sleep any time soon.

Sighing, he reached into the crib and picked his son up "fine" he conceded "but if you tell your mom, I'll never steal cookies for you again" he smiled as Ben clung to his shirt and giggled.

* * *

Entering the study, House placed Ben in his play-pen and took a seat at the piano.

He knew, from experience that Ben fell asleep easily to some songs and so, smiling softly at the boy, he began playing the melody to a song Cuddy usually sang as a lullaby.

As his fingers moved across the ivory keys, House remembered when he'd walked into the nursery to find Cuddy, four month old Ben in her arms, sitting on the rocking chair and singing the Disney song to her son.

--

_Sitting in the living room, the TV on, a bar of candy in his hand, House, about to fall asleep, was brought back to his senses by the sound of singing coming from his son's – that words still sounded strange – room._

_Grabbing his cane and limping lightly towards the open door, he paused, knowing Cuddy couldn't see him from that angle and watched._

_He didn't recognize the song, nor did he know where it was from, but the words were exactly what he felt when he saw Ben, and he couldn't help the happiness which enveloped him as he watched Cuddy singing in a low voice to their son._

_As you go through life you'll see_

_There is so much that we_

_Don't understand_

_And the only thing we know, _

_Is things don't always go_

_The way we planed_

_But you'll see every day_

_That we'll never turn away_

_When it seems all you're dreams_

_Come undone_

_We will stand by your side_

_Filled with hope and_

_Filled with pride_

_We are more than we are,_

_We are one._

"_You going to come in?" Cuddy called to him from her seat, her voice still low as the barely-sleeping Ben remained in her arms._

"_What was that?" House asked as he had entered the room_

_Shrugging, Cuddy stood slowly and, making as little movements as she possibly could, placed Ben in his crib where, thankfully, he stayed without a sound._

"_It's from the Lion King" she whispered as she walked towards House_

_Frowning, he asked "since when do you watch kid's movies?"_

"_I _do_ have a niece and two nephews"_

_Nodding, House had followed her out of the room, the melody of the song still in his head, the idea of learning how to play it becoming implanted in his mind._

_--_

"That's nice" a voice pulled House out of his memory and, abruptly brought the song to its end.

Looking over his shoulder, House almost groaned in desperation as he saw Abby leaning on the doorframe.

"I thought you were calling your kids" he said looking over at Ben's nearly sleeping form

Smirking and taking a few steps into the room, Abby replied "I did ..."

"Ok ..." House said making to stand up but finding his way blocked by Abby standing right beside him.

"Play something else" she said, her hand, oh so subtly, finding its way to House's shoulder.

Attempting to shrug her off, House replied "I'm tired, Cuddy's waiting for me, I ..."

"Oh, come on, after last night I'll bet she's fast asleep already" Abby grinned and leaned forwards towards the piano, playing a couple of keys, smirking as her chest ended up right at House's eye level.

House found himself unsure of what to do. She was hitting on him, and not too inconspicuously, either. It finally hit him that that was why he felt so uneasy around her, the woman kept hitting on him. Him, House, Cuddy's fiancé.

Judging by her moves, he wouldn't put it past her to jump him if he stood up, but then again, if he did play for her, she might think he was giving in to her.

Deciding that playing a quick song and then bolting would be safer than standing up, he turned towards the piano and smirked as his finger's began playing Cuddy's serenade.

"That's beautiful" purred Abby leaning on his shoulders

"Yes it is" he concurred as each note reminded him of Cuddy and her gorgeous blue-grey eyes, so unlike Abby's mud brown orbs which, he now noted were uncomfortably close to him.

* * *

"I'm going to get a drink of water, you want something?" Jon asked Beth who was already under the covers.

"I'm fine thanks" she replied with a smile "Oh and, Jon" she added "thank you for being nice. You know, at dinner"

Nodding with a quick smile, Jon merely left the room.

As he tiptoed through the house, he heard the sound of music emanating from the study and, as he passed it on his way to the kitchen, froze at the site before him.

* * *

"You know I've always loved the piano?" Abby asked, as she walked around the bench and took a seat on the little space left beside him.

"Is that so?" he asked

Nodding, Abby turned to him and smirked "I even had some lessons when I was young, of course _Lisa_ didn't. She was too busy with her nose in those science books"

"Yea well, that's what doctors do" he said his eyes still on the keys as he stopped playing

"Well, you're a doctor ... and you still learnt ... does that mean she isn't as intelligent as you? Is that want you're saying?"

Turning around suddenly, not linking where Abby was going and not entirely sure how _that _had been read out of his words, House found any reply cut off by Abby's lips on his.

* * *

Standing, still frozen in his spot, Jon couldn't believe what was going on. And, his anger ranging, he stormed off before he let the adrenalin take the best of him.

He wasn't going to let House get away with this, oh no. His daughter deserved better than to have a cheating son of a bitch for a husband, but Ben's birthday was the next day, he wasn't going to tell her now. He wasn't going to be the one to crush her on a day that should be happy.

* * *

Now, it is a common fact that when one is caught off guard by a kiss from an unwanted person, the first reaction, for those first milliseconds, is to kiss back, it just reflexively happens; one's lips apply pressure on the other person's and the impression of kissing back is formulated. Of course this is followed by the immediate urge to push the person away and inflict some sort of physical pain on them.

However, considering it was his future sister-in-law who was jumping him, House couldn't exactly give her the push she deserved or the kick in the groin he would surely have received had the rolls been reversed. So, grabbing her arms, and pushing her away, he merely looked at her in bewilderment.

"You kissed back" she whispered, with the same dazed face he had once seen on a certain employee of his.

"It's called a reflex" he replied standing up, keeping the pressure on her arms to make sure she stayed on the bench "if you'd studied _science_ like, oh, I don't know _your sister_, you might know what that is"

"Oh, come on ... a reflex? You want ..."

"I _want_ to leave" he said attempting to remain calm, knowing slapping Abby to her senses was, unfortunately, out of the question.

"What? To go back to _Lisa_? Why would you choose her?"

"Ok" House spoke keeping his hands up to maintain the distance between them as Abby stood "I know your father might have drilled it into you that men preferred brainless baby machines to women with jobs and intelligence, but see, it's not true" when Abby didn't reply, House turned around quickly and picked a sleeping Ben up "now, _I_ am going to go upstairs, to my fiancé, you _sister_"

As Abby attempted to move closer to him, House added "I swear, if you weren't Cuddy's sister, you'd be hearing a whole lot more than that ... so" she took another step "don't tempt me"

Walking out of the room, House shook his head slightly trying to determine whether or not what had just happened was real.

_What the _hell_ is wrong with this family?_ he thought as he walked to Ben's room.

* * *

Placing the sleeping baby in his crib, House brushed his thin brown curls from his forehead and, smiling at how much the boy looked like Cuddy when he slept, whispered "ohhh, you're aunt is such a whore!"

Suddenly, the room was filled with a low beep from House's watch signalling that it was now midnight. Smiling softly and leaning into the crib, House did something that no one would believe he'd ever done; he kissed his son's cheek and, watching as the boy moved a little and settled again, whispered "happy birthday, kid. I ..." he paused looking at his son's tiny face "I love you"

With that, he left, closing the door slightly behind him and limped up the stairs to where Cuddy was, surely sleeping.

* * *

"It's midnight" he heard Cuddy say as he was about to enter the bathroom beside the bedroom.

Turning, House smiled "it is"

"It's Ben's birthday" she smiled and, even in the darkness of the room, House saw the happiness radiating from her. For years, all she'd ever had of a kid was three months of pregnancy followed by a miscarriage. Now she had a son, a live kid who was about to turn one. He knew it was a dream come true for her and, truth be told, it was pretty amazing to him too.

"It's Ben's birthday" she repeated reaching her hand out into the darkness indicating she wanted House to lie next to her.

Not speaking, not knowing what to say, House leaned onto the headboard on his side of the bed and smiled as Cuddy moved to lie her head on his chest.

How could Abby every think he'd go through with it? How could she think he'd cheat on Cuddy, on the most amazing woman he'd ever met? God, he really couldn't believe Cuddy was related to the insane bunch of people downstairs.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there" House suddenly whispered referring to the day, a year ago, when he'd chosen to sit back and pretend not to care while Cuddy had his son.

Smiling, Cuddy kissed his cheek and looked, through the dark, into his eyes "we've been over this, you were in bed, you couldn't be walking around, you'd been in a bike accident, you ..."

"I was scared, I was scared I'd make a terrible father" he shook his head "I could have asked for a wheel chair and gone there, I could have been there for you, but I was scared I thought ..." but Cuddy cut him off

"It doesn't matter" she whispered kissing him lightly on the lips "you're here now, and that's all he's going to care about"

Nodding, House hoped she was right. He couldn't begin to describe how much he regretted his actions before Ben was born, how much he regretted not dropping everything to be with his son.

"And you were wrong" she whispered again placing her hand on his chest

"huh?" he asked not sure what she was talking about

"You're a great father" she clarified, smiling as he reached up and captured her lips himself.

She knew those words meant a lot to him, because she was more than aware of his fear of becoming his own father. But that wasn't why she said it. She said it because it was true, and the sooner he realised that, he sooner he could let go of his stupid fears and be completely happy.

After lying like that for a few minutes, just kissing and being silent, House kissed Cuddy's forehead and, pulling her head onto his chest, kept her close until they both fell asleep.

**TBC**

* * *

_Ohhhh ... sweet, right? :P_

_Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that as much as I liked writing it and let's hear all the Abby-hatred! :P I'm sure there's a lot going round right now (and no, I don't blame you for hating her ... Hell, I hate her, and I'm the one who invented her! :P)  
_

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N**__: So here's chapter 5 :) I'm, again, sorry for the wait, but since I'm moving to the Czech Republic for Uni in 11 days time, I've been pretty busy with packing and all the things that need to get sorted. _

_I hope to post more soon and at least a few more chapters before I actually leave, because I'm not sure how much time I'll have once I'm there. But fear not, I _will_ continue this story and will finish it (because I love it – and you - too much to not finish it) :D So yea, no matter how busy I am, I promise you I will find time to post and finish this story :)_

_Also, I know that some of you are also reading 'stand' and I know I haven't updated it in quite some time. I also have every intention of finishing it, but because it's a more 'serious' story, I just haven't been able to write much for it, I hope to pick it up again soon :)_

_Anyway, as always, thanks to all of you who reviewed and thanks also to those who are reading and not reviewing, I appreciate you guys too :)_

_Enjoy!_

_

* * *

_

The next morning, Cuddy awoke first. Getting out of bed slowly so as not to wake House - who was currently sleeping, his mouth slightly open, on his stomach, one arm hanging out of the bed, the other draped over her waist – up, she made her way down the stairs and towards her son's room.

"Hey baby" she whispered as Ben began to wake at the light from the hallway which poured into the room at the open door.

"Mommy ..." he called, slowly opening his eyes and holding his arms out to her.

Smiling, Cuddy picked him up and kissed his forehead brushing his slightly messy brown curls down.

"Happy Birthday, baby" she said tickling him lightly on the ribs

Giggling, Ben was now fully awake and, judging by the way he was squirming and looking at the floor, wanted to be put down.

"Ok" said Cuddy placing the boy on the floor and smiling as he took a wobbly step before she grabbed his hand "what do you say we go wake daddy up, huh?"

"Dadda!" Ben cried in reply as he recognized who his mom was talking about.

* * *

After climbing the stairs, with Ben clinging to her side, Cuddy smiled as her son, now on the floor again, walked cautiously towards the bed, falling over every now and then and crawling for a few inches before getting back up.

"Dadda?" he asked looking up at House's sleeping face.

"mhm" groaned House at the sudden sound pulling the sheets higher up.

Giggling, Ben watched as House momentarily closed his mouth and then let it hang open again as he fell back into sleep. Looking at his mother for reassurance, Ben proceeded to poke House in the face.

"ugh" House groaned again turning around, now facing away from Cuddy and Ben and burying his head in the pillow.

"Come here" Cuddy whispered as she picked the little boy up and placed him up on the bed.

Unable to walk on the mattress, Ben began crawling towards House, his blue eyes determined as he stopped right in front of his father's face. "Dadda?" he asked pushing his little palm against House's nose.

"Later" House mumbled.

"Dadda!" Ben cried, not understanding the meaning of the word, registering only that his father was speaking to him.

"Huh?" House opened one sleepy blue eye and, slowly, as realty seeped in again, became aware of his son's presence.

"What you doing up at ..." He turned around to check the alarm clock beside him "10:00 am ...?"

"Dadda!" he called again this time managing to crawl onto House's chest and sit on it, looking down at him.

"Ok, ok, I'm up" he sighed sitting up and holding Ben so he wouldn't fall "happy birthday, kid" he smiled as Ben giggled, knowing 'kid' was, in some way, a word related to him.

Smiling and walking into the room, Cuddy finally made her presence known.

"Oh, you _are_ here" said House in a disappointed voice, his eyes raking over her body as it stood before him clad only in her somewhat short-ish nightgown "thought the kid had come up all by himself. Turns out he isn't super smart after all" he groaned looking at Ben who was happily chewing on his hand and smiling.

Accepting a kiss from Cuddy and watching as she sat beside him, her hand gently caressing Ben's cheek as the boy looked around the room, House spoke "so what time are our _lovely_ guests arriving?" he asked in his best fake-sincere voice.

Rolling her eyes, Cuddy took Ben, who had been holding his arms out to her, from House and replied "12:30"

"When's _Wilson_ getting here?" he asked knowing the oncologist had promised to be there earlier and help House out with setting the grill and things up for the barbeque so he wouldn't have to deal with his father-in-law-from-hell.

Shrugging, Cuddy removed a lock of her hair from Ben's grasp "he said around 11:30, so I guess around that time ..."

And suddenly it hit House, there was still an hour and a half before Wilson arrived. That meant an hour and a half of dealing with the pain in the ass mother-in-law, the son of a bitch father in law and the ... Oh, shit! He thought remembering what had happened the previous night.

"You ok?" Cuddy asked suddenly noticing House's expression change.

_No, I'm not ok, your freaking sister, whom you expect me to get along with, by the way, jumped me last night and will take any opportunity she can get to do so again!_ He thought as he shook his head and replied "yea, just remembered Wilson coming means the appendix coming along too"

"_Clara_ is Wilson's girlfriend, and has been for nearly a year. You'd think you'd get used to her ..." Cuddy shook her head satisfied with House's response.

And, as Cuddy placed Ben on the bed beside House and walked towards the bathroom, House's mind began its House/Greg fight.

'_Tell her, you know she'll find out anyway' _urged Greg

'_Don't tell her, she'll read way too much into it and it'll ruin the party'_ countered House

'_She's going to kill you if you don't tell her'_

'_She's going to try to kill her sister if you do'_

"Greg?" a voice drifted from downstairs and, for a moment, House froze thinking it was Cuddy's whore of a sister.

"Gregory John House!" the voice came again and, as his full name registered in his brain, House shook his head and smiled as he realized his mother had told him she'd be there early.

"House?" Cuddy called poking her head out of the bathroom

"Mother" House explained getting up, taking a few moments to stretch his leg out before picking Ben up and heading down the stairs.

* * *

"There you are!" Blythe called as she spotted her son "tell me, why _do_ you have a cell phone?"

"Coz all the other kids have one?" House asked in a pathetic teenager voice bending down to kiss his mother's cheek.

"I called you when I got into town to make sure you'd be awake ... of course that failed and I had to use my spare key ..." she shook her head

"See, everything worked out, didn't it?" House asked with a shrug.

Deciding to ignore her son, Blythe turned her attentions to the little boy in his arms "hi, Benjamin" she greeted him with a light poke on the nose making the boy recoil with a giggle.

"Gah! Nana!" he called stretching his arms out to his grandmother

"Fine, choose her over me" said House in a fake-hurt tone "it's not like I gave you the gift of life, or anything" he shrugged looking away

Turning his head slightly as he looked at his father and heard his words, Ben seemed to decide they weren't worth deciphering and turned back to Blythe.

"Happy Birthday, baby boy" Blythe smiled as she kissed his forehead "I have a very nice present for you in my car" she said and, looking up at her son with the same smile, continued "which your father is going to go get as soon as he changes into some clothes decent enough to greet guests in"

"But mooooom!" House whined "all the cool kids are wearing this" he motioned down to his baggy pyjama pants and loose t-shirt.

Glaring at him, Blythe smiled as House began his limp towards the stairs.

"Bossing your daddy's fun" she said to Ben as the little boy giggled and placed a palm on his grandmother's cheek.

* * *

"You didn't tell me your mom was coming early!" said Cuddy as sat on the bed putting her shoes on as House moved around collecting clothes to wear.

Shrugging, House began to pull his pants on "forgot"

"Forgot?" Cuddy asked standing up and smoothing out the skirt she was wearing "I don't have anything set up yet ..."

"Cuddles" House called grabbing her arm as she was about to pass by him "relax, it's my mom. She already likes you"

Smiling, Cuddy nodded and stood there as House leaned down and kissed her before proceeding down the stairs to greet Blythe.

* * *

"Blythe!" Cuddy greeted as she arrived on the bottom floor, a wide smile on her face.

"Lisa!" Blythe greeted back from her place on the couch as Ben played in her lap "I see my son hasn't managed to drive you away yet. Good"

Standing and placing Ben on the couch behind her, Blythe gave Cuddy a hug.

"Oh, we haven't met ..." she spoke as she spotted Beth over Cuddy's shoulder a few seconds alter "I'm Blythe House, Greg's mother"

"Elizabeth Cuddy" Beth smiled moving to greet her "Lisa's mom"

"Ah!" Blythe exclaimed looking between them "you did a good job" she smiled as Cuddy blushed and moved to pick Ben up before he decided to fall off the couch.

Smiling as she spotted her grandson, Beth took a step closer to Cuddy "hello birthday boy!" she spoke as Ben, his two front teeth appearing, smiled broadly

"Great!" came House's voice from behind the three women "you two are going to spoil him rotten, aren't you?" he asked his mother and mother-in-law

"Well" replied Beth with a smile as Ben turned his attentions completely to House "that is our job as grandmothers"

"I'm sure I said something 'appropriate for receiving guests in', Greg, not jeans and a t-shirt" grinned Blythe as Cuddy covered her smile and House rolled his eyes.

"Let me get you out of their evil grasps before they succeed in turning your brain to mush, kid" said House taking Ben from Cuddy and suppressing a smile as the little boy grabbed at his shirt and laid his head on his shoulder.

"Can you get him dressed?" Cuddy asked as she remembered all the things that still needed doing

With a nod, House headed towards Ben's room, by mere seconds, missing Abby as she came out of the bathroom besides the nursery.

"I think I'll go wake Jon up" smiled Beth "He should give Greg a hand with setting things up" with that, she was gone, leaving Blythe looking at Cuddy's uneasy face.

"I take it Greg and your father don't get along" she chuckled

Sighing, Cuddy smiled "to say the very least"

The truth was that Blythe House was a very easy person to talk to, and someone Cuddy really liked. Aside from being nothing like House's authoritarian father, the older woman was sweet, funny and even managed to incorporate a bit of that patented House sarcasm into her personality.

"Benjamin looks great, by the way" she smiled as Cuddy motioned for her to take a seat

Blythe was the only person who called Ben 'Benjamin'. Cuddy knew it was because she was thoroughly moved by House's choice, knowing it meant a lot to her that he had remembered that tiny detail she had once told him about what she'd wanted to call him.

"So" Blythe smiled as she grabbed Cuddy's left hand and inspected the ring John House had once given her "when are you two planning on ..."

"We don't know, we actually haven't spoken about it much. I don't want to push him" smiled Cuddy looking down at the diamond on her finger "but I was thinking maybe in the winter, you know"

"Ah!" Blythe nodded "snow everywhere ..."

Smiling, Cuddy nodded "exactly"

* * *

An hour later, Cuddy was stationed in the kitchen, Blythe and Beth at either side of her preparing the salads and meat for the barbeque.

"Greg" Cuddy called as she heard a car pull up outside "Wilson's here!"

"Going, going!" House whined as he limped into the kitchen from the garden and out to the hallway.

* * *

"Morning" Wilson greeted House as he moved around his silver Volvo to open the door for his very pregnant girlfriend, Clara.

Nodding, House watched as Clara slowly stepped out of the car, her stomach significantly larger than Cuddy's had ever been.

"You sure there's only one foetus in there?" he asked nodding at her abdomen

"One lovely little girl" smiled Wilson placing a hand on the small of Clara's back helping her towards the house, Ben's present in his other hand.

* * *

"James" Blythe called as Wilson entered the kitchen

"Mrs. House" he greeted her with a smile and a kiss on the cheek "and this is Clara"

"Pleasure to meet you" smiled Blythe extending her hand to the very pregnant woman before her

As Wilson and Clara moved to greet Cuddy, Beth spotted her husband by the door "Oh, Jon, good, you're here, I think Greg needs some help outside with the grill" she said as House and Wilson exchanged a look.

Glaring at the back of House's head, Jon took a deep breath. Not wanting to start anything just yet for fear of ruining what should be a great day for his daughter, Jon merely nodded and, kissing his Cuddy on the cheek, exited the kitchen and headed outside.

"So that's the father" whispered Wilson

"He's much scarier up close" House assured him with a grin as they followed outside, leaving the women behind.

"So, how far along are you?" Blythe questioned Clara as she took a seat at the kitchen table.

"Eight months" she replied with a small, uneasy smile that everyone else assumed was a result of how tired she must be.

"Good morning" came Abby's cheery voice from the doorway as she entered the kitchen

There was a general 'morning' from all the other women in the room and, without another word, Abby moved towards the garden and the three men out there.

"Is Ben alone?" Cuddy asked noticing that everyone above the age of one seemed to either be in that kitchen or outside

"I'll get him" Blythe smiled as she rinsed her hands quickly, passing the pepper she'd been cutting to Beth.

* * *

"Good morning, boys" Abby greeted with a cheerful smile as she joined them around the grill.

"Good morning" replied Wilson with a smile followed by a frown at House who seemed intent on ignoring his sister-in-law's presence, choosing to remain focused on the metal part in his hand instead.

"Why don't you go help your mother inside?" Jon asked shooting House a quick glare that no one except Wilson picked up on.

"Oh, but I'd rather work out here" she replied with a smile "Keith is going to drop the kids off soon, and I'll be able to hear the car better if I'm here"

Cringing at the thought of Abby's three children arriving, House grabbed his cane off the floor.

"Where are you going?" Wilson asked as House handed him the metal piece he'd been trying to attach to the grill.

"Check on Ben" he replied as he turned away from the grill, his eyes falling on Abby for a moment, telling her to not even think about following.

"Oh, are you sure, Greg?" she asked with a smile, not noticing how her father was becoming angrier and angrier. And really, for once, who could blame him? For all Jon knew, House was walking away to try and maintain his affair secret.

"Pretty sure" House muttered to himself as he began limping away leaving an angry Jon, a grinning Abby and a confused Wilson to tend to the grill.

* * *

"You finished already?" Cuddy asked, a frown on her face, as she saw House enter the kitchen

"They can handle it" he replied simply, spotting his mother and Ben through the doorway and deciding to join them.

Shaking her head, Cuddy read past House's short reply and put the knife she'd been using down "excuse me"

* * *

"Greg" Cuddy half whispered, half shouted to House before he entered the living room.

Turning around, House sighed as he saw Cuddy walk towards the study with a determined face on.

"What?" House asked as he followed her.

Shaking her head, Cuddy began "what'd my father do?"

"I ..." House just stood there unsure as to whether or not he should tell her that for once it hadn't been her father who had annoyed him "He didn't do anything ..." when Cuddy seemed unconvinced, he continued "really"

"Then what's wrong?" she asked knowing today was going to be the first big even they had together and that, therefore, it was a new and trying for him; she didn't want anything to screw it up.

When House remained standing there in silence, Cuddy moved closer to him and placed a hand on his side "Greg ..."

Sighing, House decided it was better to just tell her than to have her obsessing over what was annoying him all day long "Look, last night ..."

But he was cut off by a knock on the door.

"Sorry to interrupt, but he's getting fussy" said Blythe nodding to Ben who was looking like he was about to start crying.

Cuddy's maternal instinct kicking in, she forgot all about whatever House was about to say and moved to comfort her crying son.

Sighing, House gave himself a short nod and decided he'd tell her later; she had more important things on her mind just then.

* * *

Over the next hour, everything that needed doing got done. Beth, Blythe and Cuddy managed to get all the food prepared so that all that was left to do was grill the meat, and Wilson, Jon and Abby managed to get the grill up and running so that the afore mentioned meat would not go uncooked.

Finally, around twelve thirty, the rest of the guests started to arrive. The first to get there were, as House might call them, the pretty one and the annoying one –Chase and Cameron.

Over the past year, House's two ex-fellows had finally gotten engaged and, much to everyone's surprise, managed to remain engaged without any more fights or suspicions that one of them was still in love with House.

"Hi" greeted Cameron as Cuddy opened the door for her and Chase and the bag they were holding which contained Ben's birthday present.

"Where's the little tyke?" asked Chase as he looked around searching for the birthday boy. Unlike Eric Foreman who still found it difficult to accept that House was, indeed, a father, Chase not only accepted it, but, in fact, liked it, having actually grown to like the little boy he sometimes saw crawling around Cuddy's office.

Smiling, Cuddy took the bag Chase had just handed her and nodded towards the kitchen door "out in the garden"

Just as she was about to close the door and head outside with Cameron, Cuddy stopped as she saw Keith Jones, her sister's ex-husband pull up outside.

"Why don't you head on to the garden and I'll be there in a sec?" Cuddy asked Cameron as she watched her niece and nephews exit their father's car and run up to the front door.

"Aunt Lisa!" called Seth, the oldest boy

"Hey kids" Cuddy smiled as she hugged Seth and his sister Bella before bending down to greet three year old Josh.

"where mommy?" Josh asked her looking over her shoulder

"She's in the garden" Cuddy smiled taking the little boy's hand "come on"

* * *

"When did we get three more?!" House asked as he saw Cuddy walk towards him, three kids surrounding her.

"Mommy!" Josh cried as he spotted Abby and ran towards her.

Cringing, House nodded "ah, so these are your sister's evil spawn"

Smiling as the two eldest went to greet their grandparents, Cuddy nodded "yep"

"Do they have names, or should I refer to them as spawn one, two and three?" House asked as he watched Chase flipping Ben in his arms, Cameron and Wilson standing next to him.

"The 9 year old is Seth, Bella's the 5 year old and Josh is 3" explained Cuddy "and you should go check on Chase before he drops Ben on his head" she added with a smile as she noticed House's eyes fixed on his son.

"He's beautiful, House" said Cameron who had been standing next to Chase as he played around with the little boy.

Nodding, House accepted the beer Wilson had just handed him and turned to his best friend "so when's the kid popping out?" he asked nodding to Clara who was sitting at a table talking to Blythe and Beth

"Any day now, really. Her due date is in five days, but the odds of her being born on the exact date are slim"

"Judging by Clara's size, I'm surprised she hasn't popped yet" said House taking a sip of his beer.

"Nice" said Wilson shaking his head

* * *

"Greg, phone's ringing!" called Cuddy a few minutes later as she ran to the front door to allow whomever had rang the bell in.

Sighing, House placed his beer on the closest table and limped inside to the study.

"Yea?" he answered the phone as he placed the receiver to his ear.

"Greg?" came an all too familiar voice.

Staring at the phone's screen before him, House froze. Why the hell was _she_ calling him?

**TBC**

* * *

_Who is this she? What does she want? Is she going to be a problem? You'll just have to wait and see, now won't you?_

_Oh, and I'm going to apologise right from the beginning for any OOC-ness from Chase, Cameron or any of the other characters that I introduce ... This is kinda one of the first times I'm using them in a story, so yea _

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N**__: Ok, I know it's been like a week since I updated, and I apologise, but since I have my driving exam tomorrow and am leaving on Saturday morning, I really haven't had much time ... :(_

_But here you have it, chapter 6 and, hopefully, chapter 7 will follow with a part that I've been wanting to write for weeks! (yes, not only do you guys have to wait to read what you want, I have to wait to write what I want ... sucks, I know)_

_I hope you like it, I find some parts kinda cute and hope you guys will too! :)_

_Also, you guys are good at this 'guess who the woman on the phone is' game :P But you're all WAY to negative, I know you're probably used to me being evil and all that, but jees, give the woman a chance!_

_Oh, and thank you SOOOOO much to all my lovely reviewers, have I mentioned that you guys are the best? No, well you are._

_Enjoy!_

_

* * *

  
_

"Greg?" she called again unsure as to whether or not there was anyone on the other end.

Coughing slightly and shaking his head as he unfroze, House asked "_Stacy?!_"

"Oh, you are there!"

House was still shaking his head "wh ... What are ..."

"Don't panic, Greg" she said knowing, from his tone, that House's mind was jumping to every bad conclusion it could possibly think of "I just called to wish your son a happy birthday. It is today, isn't it?" she asked

"I, uh ... yes?" he replied looking out the door to Cuddy who was currently opening the door to Taub and his wife "thanks?" he half-questioned, his mind still trying to figure out how the hell Stacy even knew he had a kid.

"Look, I haven't got much time, I have to be in court in an hour, is Lisa there?" Stacy asked and House merely nodded, not quite registering that she couldn't actually see him nod.

"Who is it?" Cuddy mouthed as she walked past the study with Taub and his wife in front of her.

"Uh, yea, sure, I'll pass the phone to her" he said holding the phone out for Cuddy to take, figuring saying 'hey, Stacy wants to talk to you' would probably not work out too well.

Unsure as to what to expect, but feeling a little uneasy at House's expression, Cuddy took the phone "Hello?"

"Lisa!"

And like House had before her, Cuddy froze "Stacy?!" she mouthed to House who merely nodded

"Hi ..." Cuddy greeted completely unsure as to what was going on, her eyes shooting to House's with a frown.

"Oh, not you too!" groaned Stacy recognizing the apprehension in her voice "I'm just calling to congratulate you and House and wish your son a happy birthday" she explained again as Cuddy's eyes, once again, darted up to House's looking for some kind of explanation. When all House did was shrug, Cuddy seemed ready to question Stacy as to how the _hell_ she knew about Ben, but a noise on the other end cut her off.

"Shoot, sorry. I have to go ... Hope you two have a great day" and with that, she was gone.

Slowly placing the receiver back in its place, Cuddy turned to House, her face a mixture of emotions from amused to hurt.

"I just want to go on the record and say I have _no_ idea what just happened" he said waving his hands in a very Wilson-like manner before Cuddy could jump to any conclusions and assume he was contacting Stacy behind her back.

"You didn't tell her?" Cuddy asked incredulously

House shook his head "No, I haven't spoken to her in ... _years_"

"Look, either _you_ told her, or she's psychic, or she's stalking you ... now, which one seems more likely?" Cuddy asked "You can tell me if you did talk to her, I ..." she sighed, knowing that, of the above mentioned possibilities, House telling her was the most likely.

"Cuddy, I _swear_ I didn't ..."

"So we're going with her either being psychic or stalking you?" Cuddy asked a little sarcastically.

She wasn't exactly angry, but she was confused. In that moment, she really saw no other way around this than that House had told her, and the fact that he seemed intent on not owning up to it, made her feel extremely confused and a little uneasy.

"Actually" he said as he looked out the window over her shoulder "I think we're going with Wilson told her"

"Wilson?" she asked turning around to look to where House was looking "why would _he_ tell her?"

"They were friends, I assumed he wasn't talking to her after she left, but ..." House shrugged

Nodding, Cuddy breathed a sigh of relief, so House _wasn't_ hiding anything from her. At least _that_ was good.

* * *

"Wilson" House called when he and Cuddy returned to the garden and Cuddy moved to check on Ben who was still sitting happily in Chase's arms.

Turning from his conversation with Taub, Wilson looked at House confused as the diagnostician motioned with his head for Wilson to join him.

"What?" he asked when he was out of anyone else's ear-shot

"Anything you want to tell me?" House asked

Looking very confused, Wilson shrugged "N-no ... ?"

"So you _weren't_ the one to tell Stacy about Ben?" House asked casually as he took a sip of his beer.

"I ... How'd you kn ... Didn't you ... ?"

Smiling at Wilson's confusion, House shook his head "She's just _called_ me and, no, _I_ didn't tell her because I haven't spoken to her in _three_ years ..." he explained

"Wow! I figured you'd ..."

"I didn't ..." he replied in a low voice, not wanting to go into all the decisions he'd once made to cut off all links with Stacy.

"I'm ... wow, I'm sorry, I just figured you'd have told her"

Clapping Wilson on the back, House shook his head "just, next time, give me a heads up so I don't have Cuddy looking at me like I've just torn her heart out and stomped on it, ok?" he asked with a light smile.

Wilson nodded and, as House was about to walk back towards the rest of the guests, pulled him back.

"While you're here ..." he began "... what's going on with the sister?" he asked and House stiffened slightly "I knew you had a problem with the father, but the sister?"

Sighing, House nodded, knowing he wouldn't get Wilson off his back on that one "Tell me, if I were Clara's brother and jumped you right now ... wait ..." House scrunched his face up realising that his invented scenario wasn't exactly the same as what had actually happened "forget that ..."

"Wait, _what_?!" Wilson asked, his face displaying nothing but utter shock "you jumped her?!"

"What? No!" House shook his head and ran a hand across his face "_she_ jumped _me_"

"What? When ... ?"

Looking over his shoulder to make sure Cuddy was still far away, he replied "last night"

"And you didn't tell Cuddy?" Wilson asked disbelievingly as he looked between his best friend and Cuddy

House shrugged "I tried ... but she had to go tend to Ben"

"Well, she's not doing anything _now_ ..." Wilson urged knowing that House keeping this from her wouldn't workout to his friend's benefit.

"If I tell her now, she'll grab the first sharp object at hand and murder her sister ... maybe it's just me, but I assumed Ben's birthday was supposed to be a happy day for her ..."

Nodding, Wilson got House's point "just ... you will tell her, right?" he asked with a sigh

House nodded "after the look I got because of Stacy's call, I wouldn't risk _not_ telling her"

* * *

"So?" Cuddy asked when House returned to her side, his beer still in his hand

House nodded "Wilson" he smirked as Cuddy looked back at Wilson and gave him a friendly glare.

"Ch-a-se" Chase said as he smiled at Ben, obviously attempting to get the boy to say his name

"Gah?" Ben question looking up at him with a small frown

"Ch-a-se" the internist tried again

"He's smart, but he's not Einstein" said House approaching the two "yet"

Smiling, Chase handed Ben to House "Daddih!" he cried as he placed his small arms around House's neck.

"Funny" House smirked "Lisa said the same thing last night, and _she_ also wrapped her arms around my neck and then ..."

"Ok" Chase waved a hand telling House to shut up

Smirking, House shrugged "you never used to mind hearing about the Dean of Medicine's ..."

"_That_" Chase said quickly as Cuddy made her way over to them "was _before_ you started doing her ... now it's just weird!" he shook his head "Hello Dr. Cuddy" he greeted with an over-done smile

"You were saying something you shouldn't be, weren't you?" Cuddy asked House as she frowned at Chase "and you weirded him out"

"Maybe" House shrugged with an innocent face taking another swig of beer.

At the other end of the garden, Taub, his Wife and Cameron were looking at House

"I know I probably sound like Foreman, God help me" said Taub "but it's still weird!"

Shaking her head, Cameron, ever the optimistic one, smiled "look at him! He's happy"

"Who's happy?" Chase asked as he approached them

"Your former boss" said Taub's wife nodding to House

Nodding, Chase smiled "wouldn't you be if you had that little tyke for a kid?" he asked as Cameron smiled.

"Well ..." Rachel Taub went to reply as her husband cut her off

"I would ..." smiled Taub with a quick look to his wife who, much to his displeasure didn't want to have kids "... but _I_ am not House ..."

* * *

For the rest of the afternoon, everything went pleasantly. Cuddy's father kept his distance from House, as Beth requested around 2 pm when another shouting match was about to start between the two over who had used the ketchup last. Abby, too, somehow managed to stay away from her object of desire as she looked after her three kids before she had to drive them home.

As for everyone else, the day seemed to be completely pleasant. Aside from the shock of Stacy's call, Cuddy didn't think things could have gone better.

House was nice and mainly civil to all their guests, he only threw a few hair-product jokes at Chase, and barely any hooker jokes at Cameron's hair and, finally, by five PM when everyone started to leave after 'happy-birthday' had been sung and the cake eaten, everyone was still on speaking terms with House. Which, many would say, was quite an achievement.

"Now, what do you say we open these?" Blythe asked motioning to all the gifts filling the living room as Cuddy and Beth returned from the kitchen where they'd been tidying up for the past half hour.

"Um, sure" Cuddy smiled as House walked in, Ben toddling beside him

"Pah!" he cried as he saw all the colourful boxes

"Yes, 'P-lay'" House sounded out the word

"Pah!"

"Hopeless?" Cuddy asked with a smiled at House's face

"Completely" House nodded

Ripping a small part of the wrapping paper from Chase and Cameron's gift, Cuddy handed it to Ben and watched with a small laugh as he studied it, wondering what he was supposed to do with it.

Smiling, House knelt, as best he could, beside the little boy and grabbed the other end of the wrapping paper, pulling it back. Smiling, Ben seemed to understand what he had to do and, looking up to his father for approval, pulled on the wrapping paper, ripping it slowly back.

With his mother and father's help, Ben managed to uncover his present and House couldn't help smiling at Cuddy's horrified face at the small drum-kit inside the box.

"Chase ..." she groaned shaking her head as House grinned

"We can start a band!" he said excitedly going to open the box.

"How about we open the other presents and _then_ start the band?" Cuddy asked stopping his ahnd with hers over his.

"Party pooper" he said with a funny face causing Ben to start giggling.

One by one, all the presents were uncovered. Taub and his wife had given him a rather oddly shaped colourful box with different holes for fitting objects in and buttons that made sounds when pushed, Abby gave him a little toy garage with colourful cars with eyes on them to go with it, Wilson and Clara a giant yellow duck that was, as House pointed out about four times bigger than the kid and Beth and Jon a red, yellow and blue wooden bead maze. Finally, Blythe got to have Ben open her gift.

"Mom?" House questioned in a warning tone as he recognized the pictures held in the three frames Mrs. House had just given his son.

"I thought you'd like to have these back, and they'll look good in his room" she smiled

"Did you make these?" Cuddy asked as she examined the crayon drawings, obviously made by someone under the age of five.

Sighing, House nodded taking one of the frames and grimacing at the picture "when I was about three, my mom here" he nodded at her "decided I was going to be an artist ..."

"These aren't bad for a three year old" Cuddy tried as she laughed "they're 'creative'"

"They're blobs" said House as he continued "anyway, my artistic career ended when I decided the living room walls needed re-colouring and my father disagreed"

"Shocking" said Cuddy with a smile as she showed the frames to Ben.

Pointing at one, Ben looked up at House "Dadda!"

"Oh, he thinks that's you" said Beth smiling at the little boy.

"Firstly, thanks kid, I'm glad you think I look like a blob, secondly, I think that was meant to be _my_ father. Notice the red and black scribbles" he grinned as Ben poked the frame.

"Anyway..." sighed Blythe at House's comment "what did mommy and daddy get Benjamin?" she asked smiling to Beth who, thus far had been sitting silently beside her, happy for the peace and quiet as Jon took a nap and Abby drove her kids to their fathers'.

"Well, _mommy_" said Cuddy tickling Ben "got him these clothes" she motioned to the little beige pants and blue and brown squared shirt he was wearing, "and the little cuddly toy in his crib" she smiled as Ben giggled and clapped at her tickling "what did _daddy_ get?" she asked House with a grin knowing he was hating all the 'mommy and daddy' talk.

Nodding to the last box by the couch, House waited for Cuddy, who was closest, to pull it towards Ben and everyone watched as, having learnt what to do, Ben attacked the wrapping paper.

"House!" Cuddy sighed warningly as she saw the black tricycle with flames along it's tubes printed on the box.

"Howsh!" Ben mimicked clapping his hands

"That's not all" House said as he reached into the box and pulled out a little fake-leather jacket which he promptly put on Ben.

"So our son is going to be a biker?" she asked with a smile at how cute Ben looked with the little jacket on.

"No" House said as if it was obvious "he's going to be cool like his dad"

Sighing, Cuddy smiled at Blythe "I'm not sure if I prefer the drum kit or the biker get up" she said

"He does look adorable, though" smiled Beth as Blythe nodded.

* * *

After all the gifts were unwrapped, Cuddy helped House move them into Ben's room before moving to the kitchen to get dinner started. Following her daughter, Beth joined Cuddy in the kitchen.

Blythe, unlike the other two women, moved into her grandson's room first.

"Lisa's going to kill you for setting that up" she smiled as she watched House set up the little drum kit, Ben sitting beside him on the floor, already chewing on the end of one of the drum sticks.

Sighing, Blythe placed a hand on her son's shoulder "have I told you how proud I am of you?" she asked.

Grimacing slightly, House nodded, his eyes still fixed on the box before him "yea, you mentioned it"

"Well I am, and there's no need to go getting all embarrassed like that, there's no one else in here" she pointed out with a smile as House remained focused on his project.

Hanging his head, House nodded slightly "thank you" he replied in a low voice.

"You don't have to thank me ... I just wanted you to know it. Because I really am. Benjamin is a great kid, and Lisa is a great woman, you've done something good here, Greg" Blythe explained.

Smiling, when he said nothing more, Blythe merely gave her son's shoulder squeeze and left the room to go help Lisa.

"What'd you say we give this a try?" he asked with a smile as he picked Ben up and sat him on the little stool behind the drums "Well, give it a whack"

When Ben didn't react, House sighed and, grabbing the little boy's wrists, began hitting the drums, smiling as he heard the water in the kitchen turn off and the sound of Cuddy's heels moving towards the room.

"Oooh" he whispered to Ben "we're in _trouble_"

"Really?" Cuddy asked upon entering the room and finding her one year old sitting on the stool behind the drum kit "you didn't waste any time"

"The band needs to practice if we're ever going to open for the Stones" he explained as he continued hitting the drums randomly creating, not so much a beat, but a hell of a lot of noise.

"The 'band'" she lifted her arms in air quotes "needs to take a break because the one year old member needs to go take a bath" she said

Turning to Ben, House put on his best 'stupid-teenage-boy-face' and said "dude, your mom is _hot_".

"His mom is leaving now" she replied with a grin as she headed towards the door.

"Oh, come on Cuddles, tell me you're not insanely attracted to my Rock star alter ego" he said with a smile as he stood and held Ben at his side "you _know_ you want to sleep with me so you can brag to all the girls that you slept with the lead singer of the band ..." he continued

"I already have slept with the lead singer of the band" she said taking a teasing step towards him as if she were going to kiss him "and frankly? Not much to brag about" she added just as House was about to lean down, the grin leaving his face.

"Ouch!" he cried with a wounded look "I'm going to make you eat those words tonight!"

Smirking, Cuddy nodded and headed to the door "I can't wait. No go give Ben a bath" she added with a laugh as she rounded the corner.

Smiling, House looked down to Ben who was, once again, chewing on the end of one of the drums sticks "yep, your mom is _really_ hot! You think she's into me?"

Giggling at his father's face, Ben hit House lightly with the drumstick

"Yea, I thought so too"

**TBC**

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed that and are as excited for the next chapter as I am ... although, since you don't know what I have in store for you, I guess you can't really be as excited as me :P_

_And please leave me some more of your lovely reviews seeing as the next time I turn on my computer, I might have just failed my driving exam, although I guess there is a little chance that I might pass ... you know, if all the other cars on the road decide to, oh, not be there :P _

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N**__: Ok, I know it's been something like two weeks since my last update, and I'm REALLY sorry ... but I just moved into my dorm in the Czech Republic and have been really busy with buying everything I need and meeting people, and lessons starting and all that stuff, so my writing time has been seriously reduced (much to my sadness, believe me)_

_But I did manage to get this out today since I have no classes tomorrow, so YAY!_

_I hope you enjoy it and I can't wait to hear more from you. Two weeks is a long time not to hear your lovely opinions and ideas._

_Enjoy!_

_

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_

That evening, the whole family, including Blythe and Abby - who had recently returned from dropping her kids off at her ex-Husband's-, found themselves sitting around House and Cuddy's dining table.

"Dada!" Ben called opening his mouth, waiting for House to give him another spoonful of soup.

Placing a piece of his own stake in his mouth, House turned to Ben and said "chill, dude!"

Rolling her eyes, Cuddy smiled to Blythe who was, quite obviously, loving the sight of her son and grandson together. For the next few minutes, Cuddy watched as Ben quickly finished all his soup and began to yawn. Her eyes on her son, Cuddy had remained completely oblivious to the fact that Abby was, much to Jon's displeasure, constantly smiling and glancing at House.

"Come on, baby" she sighed as she stood and picked Ben up from his chair "bed time" she smiled

"Goodnight, Benjamin" called Blythe waving to him and smiling as he slowly waved back, opening and closing his little hand to her as he rubbed his eye with the other.

"He is _so_ cute, Greg" Abby said turning, with an annoyingly large smile, to House and placing a hand, not too subtly, on his forearm.

Jon, who had spent the entire meal sitting there, watching Abby glance at House and smile to him, had had enough. He couldn't just sit there and let his daughter's fiancé cheat on her right before his eyes; _especially _not with his other daughter!

"That's _enough_!" he yelled slamming his fist on the table, thankful that Lisa wasn't in the room at the moment.

"Jonathan! Wha..." Beth began but was cut off

"I wasn't going to say anything today, I _know_ it's Benjamin's birthday, but I'm not going to do that to my daughter" he shook his head while looking at House

"What the hell are you on?" House asked as he watched Jon stand up and look at him, his face a deep shade of crimson.

"Dad?!" Cuddy returned in a semi run after placing Ben in his crib "what's going on?" she asked looking around at everyone.

"Lisa, I, I know we've spoken about this before and I know how you feel, but I don't want you to get hurt and he ..." he pointed at House "he is going to hurt you"

Rolling her eyes, Cuddy retook her seat with a small smile at House "dad, I think we've already discuss..."

"No" Jon shook his head again, interrupting her "that son of a bitch is cheating on you!"

"Excuse me?!" Blythe asked, her head turning to Jon in a second "son of a _what_ ...?"

"I'm what?" House asked simultaneously looking to Cuddy with an utterly shocked look.

Nodding, Jon let a small, somewhat evil, grin rise on his face "Did you think no one was going to know? That you could just go around, throwing yourself from one of my daughters to the next and that I wouldn't know?"

"Jon, what _are_ you talking about?" Beth asked having no idea what was going on, but registering the looks on Abby and House's face; tow looks that Cuddy did not fail to notice

"You've no idea what you're talking about!" House said in as calm a voice as he could as he felt Cuddy's eyes on him.

"I saw you kissing Abigail!" yelled Jon, not believing that House would try to hide it "Last night! Are you ok with that, Lisa?" he asked turning to her "did you tell him it was perfectly fine to kiss other women? Because if you didn't, then, sweetie, I'm sorry, but he's cheating on you ..."

Turning to House, the look on his face making her uneasy and unsure what to believe, Cuddy merely asked "Greg?"

"I ..." House looked around, knowing exactly how it must look "I swear I didn't!"

Letting out a laugh, Jon shook his head "of course you _swear_ you didn't cheat. But you _did_. Or are you going to deny that you and Abigail kissed last night?"

"I ..." House stammered again, all he wanted to do was argue with Jon, tell him what a slut his daughter was and show him that he was _not_ going to be pushed around in his own home. But the look on Cuddy's face as she registered the confusion and guilt on his stopped him. He needed to prioritise, and getting Cuddy to believe him was definitely more important than arguing with Jon.

From his room, Ben was beginning to whimper.

"Well, _Greg_?" Jon asked again his eyes glancing at Cuddy's expressionless face "tell us, wha ..."

"Will you shut up?!" House interrupted as Ben began to cry "Lisa you kn..."

But Cuddy merely left the room, her mind uneasy, her eyes prickling with tears, and headed to Ben's room to tend to the crying child. Sighing, House moved to follow her, but was stopped by Jon's hand on his arm.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked "you think I'm going to let you go there?" he rounded the table so he was now face to face with House "you think I'm going to let you lie to her?"

Suddenly, rage surging through him, House shoved Jon back and shouted "you want to know what fucking happened? Your whore of a daughter, and, to make it clear, I'm talking about _Abigail_ not Lisa, jumped me last night"

"Right, _my_ daughter is trying to steal her sister's husband ... I saw you kiss _her_. Or, by your story, kiss her _back_"

Smiling House took a step forwards "you may not be aware of this, but when someone kisses you, your first reflex is to kiss back ... If you need me to demonstrate, come over here and I'll be more than happy to" he said with a grin as he took a step towards Jon.

Fearing House would make good on his inferred threat and furious at House calling Abby as whore, Jon took a swing at him, his fist colliding with the diagnostician's jaw and stopping him in his tracks.

"Hey!" Blythe called as Beth shouted "Jon!"

"Get the hell away from my son!" Blythe shouted pulling Jon's arm so he'd turn towards her, her hand colliding with his face as soon as they were face to face "not so tough now, are you? You going to hit a woman?" she asked as Jon took an angry step towards her

Just then, Cuddy, a tear slipping down her cheek entered the room, a crying Ben in her arms.

"Dadda!" Ben cried as he saw his father leaning on the wall, his hand on his jaw.

"Shh, Ben" Cuddy tried to sooth him, but to no avail.

Turning to them, his eyes filled with sadness and anger, House held a hand out "give him here"

Her doubts making her hesitate, Cuddy looked around the room. She hated how she felt. She had never thought House would cheat on her, he was many things, but he wasn't a cheater. But as preposterous as her father's story seemed, the guilt on House's face made her uncertain.

"Dadda!" Ben shouted louder trying to pull away from Cuddy

"Lisa" House called, not believing that she was thinking twice about giving his son to him.

Sighing, Cuddy hung her head and handed Ben to House, she couldn't do that to him, no matter how confused and hurt she felt.

Now in his father's arms, Ben clung to House's t-shirt, buried his tinny face against the fabric and, bit by bit, his crying subsiding.

"Lisa ..." House called again over Ben's head, hating the fact that she was looking so hurt.

Shaking her head, Cuddy asked "what happened?" her eyes locking onto his, the pleading look in them telling him how much she needed this story not to be true.

Sighing slightly, House nodded "I was playing piano last night. She just waltzed in, saying she knew how to play and you didn't, hitting on me left and right" he explained, a glare falling on Abby "suddenly I turn my head and she's all over me. I swear, Lise, I didn't do _anything_!"

Laughing, Jon shook his head "don't tell me you actually believe him. You believe that your own sister would ..."

Looking around, and spotting her sister's smiling face, Cuddy shook her head "You slut" she said looking at Abby "Get out of my house!"

"Lisa!" Jon called

Turning to her father, Cuddy replied to his previous question "Yes, dad, I do believe him, and yes, I do believe my sister would do something like that" she glared at Abby "all my life she's been trying to take what's mine"

"Yours?" Abby asked standing up, suddenly not so happy or triumphant "where's the ring? Where's the marriage certificate?"

"Where are yours?" Cuddy asked "So I didn't get married in my early twenties, at least I didn't get divorced by 32" she shook her head

"At least all of my kids are legitimate" Abby countered, knowing she'd hit a nerve by mentioning Ben.

"Get out" Cuddy repeated calmly pointing towards the door.

"Lisa" Beth called, wanting to establish some sort of piece

"I said, get out" she repeated as House hoisted a sleeping Ben further up as he began to slide.

"I ..." Abby began "come on, Lisa ..." she tried

Smiling at her son, Blythe turned to Abby "you heard the lady, get the hell out of my son's home"

"You are _not_ kicking your sister out over that, that jackass!" Jon yelled

"Either _she_ goes, or you _both_ go, dad. I told you before, between you and Greg, I pick him. Always" she explained

"Don't you have some corners to work, or something?" House asked Abby with a grin motioning to the door "Get. Out"

"This isn't your home, it's Lisa's. What authority do you have to ..." Jon began

Shaking her head, Beth cut in "even if he had no authority, Lisa does, and she's made her wishes quite clear"

Smiling at her mother, glad to have her on her side, Cuddy nodded.

Not knowing what else to say or do, Abby merely picked her purse up from beside her seat and walked towards the door.

"How can you believe your sister would do that?" Jon asked once she was gone "How can you believe that bastard over your own sister?!"

"Will you stop insulting my son?!" Blythe asked, her voice raising slightly causing Ben to stir in his arms

"If you had raised a better son, I wouldn't have to" Jon replied coolly, quickly turning back to House

"Excuse me? I'm not the one who raised a little skank for a daughter!" Blythe replied as House's jaw clenched at the insult Jon had thrown his mother

"I will not have you insult Abigail!" Jon argued back, now turning fully to Blythe

"Jon!" Beth cut in "I don't like hearing these names called at our daughter, either" she looked to Blythe with a small smile "but the truth is that, if anyone is in the wrong here, it's her. Not Greg"

"So we're all going to believe him, huh? We're just going to assume he would never cheat, is that it? As I recall, when they first met in college, he was cheating on his girlfriend, wasn't he?" Jon asked

"I said I'd never cheat on _Lisa_, not that ..." he began, but Jon cut him off again

"If you did it once, who's to say you won't do it again?!" Jon shouted causing Ben to whimper slightly.

"Dad!" Cuddy cut him off as his voice began to raise again "Enough, either go to bed, or leave. I honestly don't care anymore" she sighed slowly taking Ben from House and carrying him to his bedroom before he began crying again.

Forced to leave by his wife's stares and House and Blythe's anger, Jon stormed out of the room towards the guest bedroom, Beth following closely behind after apologising to Blythe for her husband's words, and Blythe turned to her son.

"You know he's wrong, right?" she asked House "you aren't a jackass"

Passing a hand across his face, House sighed "I really would never ..."

"I know, I know you'd never cheat on Lisa" Blythe nodded with a smile "independently of what Jon cuddy might say, I raised my son better than that. Anyway," she sighed "I guess I'd better be going" Blythe sighed checking her watch.

"You sure you want to drive?" House asked

Smiling, Blythe nodded "you need to go talk to Lisa, and you'll have enough to deal with in the morning without me killing that man in his sleep" she explained with a smile.

Nodding, House leaned down to kiss her goodbye and, as his mother moved to the front door, walked towards the steps to his bedroom.

* * *

Thankful that her son was now asleep and her father locked away in his room, Cuddy climbed the stairs to her bedroom where she found House, clad only in his pyjama bottoms, sitting on the bed reading what appeared to be a medical journal.

"You ok?" she asked, noticing the look on his face.

Looking up at her, House closed the journal "you believed him, didn't you?" he asked

Sighing and looking at the floor, Cuddy shook her head "I didn't really"

"You did" House nodded and watched as Cuddy slowly moved towards the bed and took a seat beside him

"I didn't, Greg. I didn't think you cheated on me, I just ..." she shook her head "you looked guilty, you didn't know what to say, you _always_ know what to say. I didn't know _what_ to think" she sighed

Pinching the bridge of his nose, House replied "I looked guilty because I didn't tell you" he shook his head "I didn't want to upset you, not today, but, I know I sh ..."

Cutting him off, Cuddy smiled "as a general rule, yes, you should have told me" when House went to talk again, she placed her hand on his lips "but I'm glad you thought about me first. Thank you..."

Leaning forwards, she slowly replaced her hand with her lips and gently kissed him.

"You know" he said as he pulled back a little, smiling as she rested her head on his shoulder "I wouldn't _never_ ... You could give me Angelina Jolie and I wouldn't even _think_ of cheating on you ..." he shook his head.

Grinning, Cuddy raised her head from his shoulder "_really_? Not even with Angie?"

"God no!" House smirked "there's no way Angie can compete with that ass of yours" he grinned pulling her closer "My boss, on the other hand ..." he smirked

"I'll be sure to keep an eye on her" Cuddy replied, smiling as House lightly kissed her jaw

"Did I mention that you saying that I was '_yours'_, was kind of sexy?" he asked teasingly.

Laughing, Cuddy nodded "no, but I figured you'd like that touch"

"Hm hm" House nodded "I did" he replied as he leaned in to kiss her again

Pulling back and laughing as House groaned, Cuddy asked "did she _really_ use the fact that I can't play the piano against me?" she asked shaking her head

Nodding, House wondered where the hell this was all going "yes ...?"

Smiling, Cuddy kissed his neck "well, I guess you'll just have to teach me, then, won't you"

Grinning, House nodded as her mouth reached his jaw "guess I will"

* * *

The next morning, House and Cuddy were awoken from their peaceful sleep by the unbelievably annoying sound of a ringing telephone.

"Shit" groaned House as he slowly turned his face towards his pillow, groaning again as Cuddy slowly untangled herself from him and grabbed the offending object.

"Hello?" she asked into the phone, her eyes falling on the alarm clock beside her and registering that it was only 7:00 am.

"Lisa?" came Wilson's anxious voice on the other end

"What's wrong?" Cuddy asked as House turned to look at her, raising his eye brows questioningly.

"Clara's in labour!" Wilson replied.

**TBC**

* * *

_So, I hope you enjoyed that, and I promise to update again as soon as I possibly can. _

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N**__: Ok, this time it is genuinely not my fault that I didn't post ... I just moved out of my dorm into an apartment and don't have internet (and won't have any for the next week or so) .. which sucks seeing as today's eppie will most likely KICK ASS... anyway, I did manage to use a friend's net today, and I can post this. I already have another chappie all written and ready to post, so as soon as I get another chance to go online, I'll post it for you guys :)_

_Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter and, Hilly, thanks for the PM on fanpop!_

_Enjoy!_

_

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"Clara's in labour" Cuddy mouthed to House "we'll be right there" she then added to Wilson who, from the sound of his voice, was severely panicked.

"We will?" House asked when Cuddy placed the receiver back on its stand

Glaring slightly at him, Cuddy nodded "he's your best friend and he's freaking out, so yes"

Quickly, she got out of bed and moved towards the bathroom for a quick shower.

"Want some company?" House called after her as she shut the door. When he got no reply, he turned on his back and stared at the ceiling.

Knowing Wilson was in the hospital panicking over the birth of his daughter made him think back to the day, roughly a year ago when _he_ should have been panicking over the birth of _his_ son.

Closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose, House got out of bed, his hand automatically rubbing his leg a few times before he dared stand on it. Once on his feet, he shook his head and headed down the stairs to his son's room.

* * *

"Hey kid" he smiled as he looked down at Ben's sleeping form.

Brushing the boy's hair slightly with his hand, House smiled as he opened one sleepy blue eye, then the other.

"Dadda" the toddler yawned rubbing his little eye lightly

"Come on, dude, time to go see your new girlfriend fresh out of the oven" House smiled picking his son up

"Lovely" came Cuddy's voice from the doorway

Turning, on his heels, House frowned "thought you were showering ... did you miss me?" he asked with as sweet a smile as he could muster

Smiling sarcastically back at him, Cuddy shook her head "No" and, with a laugh at House's pout, continued "I was going to tell you to get Ben and dress him ..."

"All taken care of, mistress" House replied as Ben placed his tiny hand on his stubble-covered cheek.

* * *

"We waking your parents?" House asked as he, Ben in his arms, and Cuddy behind him descended from their bedroom

Shrugging, definitely not in the mood for dealing with her father after the previous night, she shook her head "I'll leave them a note and if Wilson's ok, I'll drop by before they leave"

"Picking Wilson over your parents, you are so turning into me" House joked, fake-wiping a tear from his eye

Grinning, Cuddy took her son from House and handed him the car keys "let's go"

* * *

"Dr. Cuddy!" Nurse Brenda called as Cuddy and House walked into the hospital "she's in room 260" she smiled knowing exactly what had brought Cuddy and, especially, House to the hospital on a weekend.

"Thank you" the administrator smiled as she hoisted her sleeping son higher on her side and proceeded to the elevators, House begrudgingly limping behind her.

* * *

"Wilson!" Cuddy called when she spotted the oncologist, his shirt wrinkled and un-tucked, running towards room 260

Stopping in his tracks and turning to face the source of the voice, Wilson smiled and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw his two best friends walking up to him.

"Thank God you're here!" he sighed placing a hand on House's shoulder "how you managed to go through this calmly, Lisa, I'll never know" he told her as he shook his head

Smiling at him, Cuddy nodded "how long have you been here?"

"Since 5 am" he replied pinching the bridge of his nose "the contractions started at 12am and her water broke at 4 ..."

"too much information!" called House putting a hand up and grimacing

"How's she doing?" Cuddy asked, following Wilson as he began walking towards Clara's room again

"Only four centimetres dilated and calling me every name imaginable" he sighed as they approached the door.

Grinning at Wilson's words, House looked to Cuddy "well, then this should be fun!"

* * *

"Where the hell have you been?" Clara asked from her semi-sitting-semi-lying position on the bed when Wilson walked in, Cuddy and House close behind.

"got you some ice" Wilson smiled softly handing her the plastic cup

"I'm _thirsty_!" she yelled "I need _water_ not freakin' _ice_!"

Sighing, Wilson glanced over at House and Cuddy "I told you, you can't have any water right now ..."

"I don't ... aw! ... care!"

"Delightful, isn't she?" House whispered to Cuddy as Ben began to stir in her arms.

* * *

Mere seconds after the dean and her 'family' had arrived at PPTH, the news was spreading. It wasn't that people didn't know that she was with House, or that they'd had a kid. Oh, they knew. But it was still an event when the spawn of the administrator and diagnostician was in the hospital.

Normally the little boy stayed at home with a babysitter and, on few occasions when he did go to the hospital, he usually stayed inside his mother's office.

Everyone knew the reason for this was that Cuddy and, especially, House hated the way everyone wanted a look at Ben, almost like he was Brad and Angie's seventh kid. Because, especially to the diagnostician, his son was his. His and Cuddy's and having everyone gawking at him and talking about him was not something he was ok with.

* * *

So, as Cuddy took a seat beside Clara's bed and House stood, uncomfortably, by the door, nurses, orderlies and even some doctors began to unnecessarily pass by the room.

"Lisa?" House called as he took a step towards her and nodded towards the, unfortunately, glass walls of the room

Sighing and nodding, Cuddy looked down at her sleeping son and began to stand

"No" House cut in as Clara began to insult Wilson again "you stay, I'll take him upstairs"

"Sure?" Cuddy asked glancing over her shoulder at Wilson who, looking absolutely frightened, was trying to explain to Clara, once again, why she wasn't allowed to drink water.

Nodding, House took Ben and, making sure he was securely set on his side, left the room and headed for the elevators.

* * *

As he walked, House fought truly hard to resist the urge to insult every nurse that stared at him. He understood that the sight of Gregory House with a child was, still, somewhat of an event, but that didn't make it any more ok with him. Ben was his kid and the fact that he was a father and that, yes, he had a softer side were things he'd rather keep to himself. Or at least, between himself and Cuddy.

* * *

"Clara, if you just relax a bit, the pain won't be so bad and ..."

"That may have worked for you" Clara spoke to Cuddy "but it sure as hell isn't working for me"

When Cuddy opened her mouth to speak, Clara cut in again "and don't you dare tell me that when I see my daughter everything will be ok! Ah! Just get this over with, already!"

"We're trying!" came Dr. Bates' cheery voice as he entered the room, putting on his gloves as he walked.

"Please, _please_ tell me I'm ready!" Clara almost begged as Bates pulled a stool from beside the bed.

"I'm afraid we still have a little while to go, Clara"

"A _while_?! Ah! Just get it out!"

"Two to three hours, probably ..." Bates smiled and nodded "... look on the bright side, at least when it's all done, you'll have a brand new baby girl ..."

Since Bates stood to leave right after his words, he failed to see what Cuddy did: Clara rolling her eyes and almost scoffing.

Cuddy was more than aware that some women were less than cheery during labour, having been there once before, she also understood it to a certain extent. But never, in all her years at the hospital, had she seen a mother expressing absolutely no form of joy. So, starting to feel a little uneasy at Clara's attitude, she stood.

"Um, Dr. Bates" she called after him as he exited the room "may I have a word?"

* * *

"Yes?" the obstetrician asked once they were outside the room

"Well ..." Cuddy sighed knowing she was probably going to sound paranoid "I know a lot of mothers are, well, less than friendly during labour ... but she hasn't once expressed any happiness. I mean, she's about to have a baby ... I ..."

"I've seen it before" Bates nodded understanding where she was going

"I'm just wondering if maybe there's something wrong ..." Cuddy continued "Dr. Wilson is a good friend and ..."

Again, Bates nodded "I understand your worry, Lisa, I do, but there's probably nothing wrong. You've been there before, you know it's not the most pleasant experience in the ..." when Cuddy was about to argue again, Bates held up a hand in defeat "but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on her" he nodded

"Thank you" Cuddy answered with a smiled

Turning back to the room after Bates had left, Cuddy frowned. She remembered, when she'd been pregnant with Ben, how every ultrasound had been exhilarating, how the sound of his heart beat had always made her day. So, as she watched Clara not even look up at the screen while the nurse performed an ultrasound, she decided that something was _definitely_ not right.

**TBC**

* * *

_So, I hope you enjoyed that, and I promise to update again as soon as I possibly can. :)_

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N**__: Ok, so I'm baccccckkk! In other words, I have internet at home again!!! :D_

_Hopefully this will mean that I'll be able to post more frequently, though, seeing as I have about 5 tests per month, I'm not entirely sure how frequently that'll be._

_Since I just got done with my Muscles test (the first really bitch of a test in med school), I managed to make some time to write and post this. I hope you enjoy it and continue to read and review._

_As you'll be able to tell by the end of the chappie, things are getting interesting and, therefore, I want to write even more :D _

_As always, thanks for the reviews, I really do love them, and they certainly do brighten my day when all I had to do was study and study and, oh, yea, study :P_

_P.S. This is an especially long chappie :D_

_Enjoy!_

_

* * *

  
_

Sitting in his office, the shades closed to keep the rest of the hospital out of his personal life, House smiled at Ben as, having just awoken, the boy began crawling around the room.

"Bah!" he suddenly called as he sat beside the desk and pointed to the large red and white tennis ball above him.

"no, 'ball'" House corrected taking the object from the top of his desk and rolling it down across the floor for Ben to chase

"You are aware he's not a dog, right?" came Thirteen's voice from the doorway as she pushed the shades aside

"damn! I knew I was forgetting something" mocked House as he watched Ben try, futilely, to remove the ball from under his father's lounge chair

"Here, let me ..." began Thirteen

"No" House stopped her as she was about to help Ben and, for a few seconds, they both stood and watched as Ben frowned and figured out he had to crawl around the chair to successfully retrieved the ball.

"Wow" said Thirteen raising her eyes in surprise as Ben giggled, the ball now securely in his hands, and half-ran half toddled towards his father "smart kid"

"It's all in the genes" grinned House taking the ball from his son

"Am I high, or did you just call me smart?" Cuddy asked as she entered the room

Smirking, House shook his head "I didn't say _whose_ genes I was talking about ..."

"Oh, _so_ funny!" Cuddy shook her head as she looked at Ben "and how many times have I told you not to play catch with him? He's not a dog ..."

"Ah, but that doesn't stop him from enjoying it" House retorted rolling the ball along the floor again and watching as Ben, laughing as he went, hurried after it "anyway, what did you want?" he then asked Thirteen

"Oh, Foreman had a question about the case, but I'll come back later" she smiled to Cuddy, knowing the dean wanted her fiancé to stay by Wilson's side.

"She pop yet?" House asked Cuddy referring to Clara once Thirteen had left

"No" Cuddy frowned "But ..."

"What?" then, as he registered Cuddy's look, House frowned "what's wrong?"

"Well ..." she sighed knowing House, of all people, was going to think she was over reacting

"Lisa?"

"I think, I think there's something wrong"

"With ...?" House shook his head unsure as to where his fiancé was going

"Clara"

Relaxing a bit, House sat back down on his chair "Bates is your man, then"

"I spoke to him already, it's just ..."

"You need my fantastic expertise?" House asked with a grin which quickly vanished as Cuddy continued to look upset.

Shaking her head, Cuddy spoke "I think she doesn't want the baby"

Frowning, House shook his head "why would you think that?"

"She isn't happy, she isn't looking forwards to having her daughter in her arms for the first time, she won't even look at the screen during her ultrasounds, she's ..."

"In pain" House cut in "you know, if I was about to push a three kilogram human being from _my_ body, I wouldn't be a delightful ray of sunshine either!"

"It's not just that!" Cuddy sighed "I can't explain it but. Ugh. A mother ..."

Grabbing Cuddy's hand and pulling her towards him, House cut in "Cuddles, not everyone is like you"

"What does that mean?"

Shrugging, House pulled Cuddy gently onto his lap "look at _me_, I didn't even want to know that Ben was a boy, I didn't want to see him, I wanted nothing to do with him but, once I saw him ..."

Cuddy couldn't help but smile as House looked across the desk at where Ben was sitting, quietly chewing on the tennis ball

"you loved him" she finished the sentence for him, getting a nod and a smile back

"They kinda grow on you" he grinned as Ben dropped the ball and watched, puzzled as it bounced away from him

Sighing, Cuddy nodded "you're probably right"

"Of course I am" House smirked kissing her softly on the lips.

Pulling back slightly, Cuddy shook her head "hospital"

"Shades" House replied kissing her again.

For a few moments, Cuddy just sat there kissing him back, but, as House wrapped his arms around her waist, she decided pulling back was the wisest thing to do considering their surroundings.

"Party pooper" he pouted as he leaned back against the chair again, Cuddy still on his lap

"Hey, about last night ..." she began touching the small bruise on his jaw which Jon's fist had left behind.

Groaning, House shook his head "must we mention it?"

Smiling, Cuddy continued "I was going to say, that I was really surprised by your mom. It takes some guts to stand up to my dad ..." she smiled "I didn't know she had it in her"

Scoffing, House smiled "anyone who has the guts to cheat on John House can do anything she pleases"

Looking surprised, Cuddy frowned "she ... how'd you ... who?"

"Far as I know, he was one of my dad's friends from the marines, my father must have been away somewhere ..."

"_when_?" Cuddy asked, truly shocked that someone like Blythe would cheat on her husband, even if said husband _was_ the devil's evil twin incarnated.

"Well" House pretended to think hard "how old am I?" he asked

"48?" Cuddy asked with a frown unsure as to where he was going

"So, uh, 48 years and nine months ago" he said with a shrug.

"What?!" Cuddy asked not believing what she was hearing "John isn't ..."

"My father? No" House replied quite naturally

"But..."

Smiling, House shrugged again "I figured it out when I was twelve, told him, he didn't speak to me for a whole summer, and when he died, I confirmed it"

"You ..." Cuddy could do nothing but stammer

"It's a relief, actually" and, as if it were the most natural response, he continued "means I don't actually share any genes with that son of a bitch"

Sighing, Cuddy nodded. It wasn't normal to hear a son be happy at the fact that his father wasn't his father, but, from what she'd heard of John House, Cuddy had to understand.

After a few moments of silence during which Cuddy laid her head on House's shoulder, House broke the silence.

"I was thinking ..."

"Uh oh" Cuddy replied with a smile

"maybe we should set a wedding date ..."

Looking surprised, Cuddy lifted her head from his shoulder "are you feeling ok?" she asked with a broad smile

Shrugging, House nodded "I did ask, and you did say yes, so I suppose that would be the logical next step"

Grinning, Cuddy leaned forwards and kissed him "when were you thinking"

"Well ..." House started "it's June now, uh, September?"

"We had talked about November or December, why'd you change your mind?" she asked

Not really looking at her, House replied "I don't want to give your father any more time to turn you against me"

Smiling, softly, Cuddy turned House's face towards her and kissed him softly on the lips "we could get married in twenty years and he'd still not have enough time to do that ..."

Kissing her back and smiling, House nodded "still, let's not try it out"

"ok" she nodded "September is fine by me"

* * *

It was only several hours later, around one pm, that Wilson got the news he'd been waiting for: Clara was ready. And, between Cuddy's words of encouragement and the hospital staff's looks, he'd made his way beside Clara into the delivery room.

Considering how much pain she'd been in, the delivery, according to Dr. Bates, went quite smoothly and, at half past one pm, Wilson finally walked out of the delivery room, his brand new baby daughter in his arms.

"Oh, James" Cuddy smiled touching the little girl's forehead "she's beautiful"

"Go get her, kid" House whispered to Ben as he held him in his arms as he, too, examined the baby girl

"I assume that's your way of saying she's gorgeous" smiled Wilson

"Dada?" Ben questioned looking up from the little girl to his father with the most adorable, confused look on his face "Gah?"

"That's your girlfriend, kid" House grinned as Ben looked down at the small baby with a frown

"Don't give him any ideas" said Wilson with a smile as his daughter opened her brown eyes and took in everything that was happening around her.

After a few more moments, Wilson took his daughter back to the delivery room so the nurses could get her cleaned up.

"She really is beautiful" Cuddy said with a smile to House as she turned to him

* * *

"Congratulations" Cuddy smiled to Clara as she gave her a hug once she was back in her room, the little baby beside her, sleeping.

"Thanks" Clara replied and, again, Cuddy could hear something not-quite-right in her voice.

"Well mommy" came a nurse's sweet voice as she entered the room "time to feed that beautiful little baby of yours"

Standing besides House, Cuddy could barely keep quiet as Clara held the baby, not looking at her, apparently not caring.

"I'll be outside" said House, obviously not wanting to stay during the kid's feeding, as he left with Ben at his side.

* * *

"Did you see that?" Cuddy asked walking out of the room behind House, Ben in his arms. She didn't even look at her ..."

Nodding, House turned around and looked, through the glass walls of the room at Wilson's beaming face and Clara's indifferent one. He knew that, in almost every way, the scenario before him resembled that surrounding Ben's birth: one indifferent parent, one happy and proud one.

"So you agree with me, something is off?" she asked

His eyes still focused on his best friend and his girlfriend, House nodded. Even he knew it wasn't normal for a parent to be indifferent at the sight of his or her child; especially not for a _mother_.

"So we talk to Wilson?" Cuddy asked as Ben began to pull on her necklace

House shook his head "give her some time, not everyone falls madly in love with the little aliens straight away"

Shaking her head, Cuddy couldn't help but think that House was wrong. Not only did Clara not look like she wanted the baby, she didn't seem to be warming up to her at all.

* * *

"Good news" came Dr. Bates' voice as he entered the room that evening "your daughter is completely healthy, and beautiful, I might add, and tomorrow morning, you'll be ok to take her home" he smiled to Clara, quickly exchanging a look with Cuddy when the new mother showed no emotion at what she'd just been told.

"That's great!" exclaimed Wilson who was now holding his sleeping daughter

"Yea ... yea, great" agreed Clara with a forced smile.

Smiling to Wilson, Cuddy approached him and gave the little baby a quick kiss "we're going to go now, but we'll drop by your place tomorrow"

"Thanks for coming" he nodded

"Bye Clara, and congratulations again, she really is gorgeous" Cuddy tried with a smile and, when all she got back was another forced smile, she turned to look at Dr. Bates who merely nodded.

* * *

Once outside the room, House holding a sleeping Ben, Cuddy and Dr. Bates began to talk "I'll get a psych consult" the obstetrician nodded to her

"Thank you" she smiled with a sad look over her shoulder at the room she'd just exited.

"Do you think that's really necessary?" House asked as he began walking beside Cuddy out of the hospital

"yes" she nodded "I do"

* * *

Back at home, after a quick dinner, House and Cuddy sat on their couch, Ben playing on the floor in front of them, a number of his toys spread around him.

"Have you talked to Bates?" House asked

Cuddy shook her head "If he found anything, It's Wilson he should be talking to"

Nodding, House pulled her towards his chest "Cuddles, why are you so worried? _Really_?"

"He's our best friend, he deserves ..."

"yes, he's our best friend, but you're getting too worked up about this ..."

Sighing, Cuddy looked down at Ben and shook her head "when I though you would never know Ben was your son, when I thought he'd never get to know his father, It broke my heart. But you came around, and I'm so glad you did ..." she added quickly kissing his cheek

When she was about to continue, House cut her off "now you see Clara and you think the kid's never going to have what Ben has ..."

She nodded

"Don't you think you might be jumping the gun a little?" House asked "It's been a day, give her some time ... I hear it can take up to a _whole_ week for a parent to ..."

Smiling, Cuddy nodded and kissed him lightly on the lips "I hope you're right, I really do"

"Good news, then ..." he grinned pulling her in closer to him "I usually am"

Grinning back, Cuddy leaned forwards and kissed him on the lips, gently at first, then more passionately.

"Seeing as" he kissed her softly again "you parents" kiss "are gone, you think we could" he nodded towards the stairs

Smiling, Cuddy nodded but, just as she was about to move in for another kiss, the phone besides the couch went off.

"Ugh ..." House groaned letting his head fall back against the couch as he reached for the phone "this had better be important" he answered

"House?" came Wilson's voice from the other side "House, she's gone"

Suddenly confused, House frowned to Cuddy and asked "who's gone?"

"Clara!" Wilson exclaimed "she's gone ..."

**TBC**

* * *

_Ruh oh ... plot twist :P_

_Hope you enjoyed that as much as I loved writing it. Also, I hope it helps keep your mind off the recent goings on at the 'real' PPTH ... for those who didn't pick up my little hint there, I'm referring to that thing that begins with an 'L' and ends with 'uddy'._

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N**__: Ok, ok, so yes, I took forever to update AGAIN! ... on the upside, I have completed my last _real_ piece of work for the semester and am, essentially on Christmas holidays! Yay ... that _should_ mean I'll have more time for posting ... _

_Anyway, as always, thank you all so much for your lovely reviews, you really do keep me going, and, as always, I hope you enjoy :)_

_Enjoy!_

_

* * *

  
_

The drive back to the hospital was silent.

Cuddy, having sensed something was wrong, felt guilty for not having done something earlier, and wanted nothing more than to get to the hospital and help her friend. Ben was asleep in his car seat, his small head hanging a little to one side and House, his eyes fixed on the road, was driving, his thoughts stuck on what Wilson was going to do.

If Clara _was_ really gone, if there wasn't some sort of mix up or if this wasn't just a temporary hiccup, House didn't know how Wilson would cope.

He may have joked around through most of Clara's pregnancy, saying that he was surprised it wasn't Wilson carrying the kid, that Wilson was acting more like a woman than Clara was. But the truth was, he admired –and slightly envied- his best friend for being so vested in his kid's birth, for caring so much about her, and wanting her as much as he did.

So, now he couldn't imagine how he'd cope alone. Wilson wasn't really a 'do it alone' kind of guy, his three marriages and multiple romances had proved that. He needed someone by his side, he _wanted_ someone by his side and this, whatever it was, was definitely not something he was prepared to handle.

* * *

"Dr. Cuddy?" one of the nurses sitting in the nurse's station questioned as she saw her boss walk in.

For once in her life, Cuddy didn't bother with the polite "good evenings" and "how are you's" and, passing right by the station, House, Ben in his arms, right behind her, she made her way to the elevators.

* * *

"James" Cuddy called from the doorway as she spotted Wilson sitting in the corner of Clara's room, the lights dimmed, a piece of paper in his shaking hands.

Looking up at his friends, Wilson let his head drop again.

"James, what's going on?" Lisa tried walking in closer to him.

Merely holding the paper out to her, Wilson shook his head and kept his eyes low.

From his place by the door, House could tell his friend was devastated and, looking at his sleeping son in his arms and his fiancée in front of him, he couldn't help but think that he would be too. If the roles were reversed and he was the one faced with raising Ben without Lisa at his side; he wouldn't be able to cope, either.

Looking over her shoulder at House, from whom she merely got a shrug and a serious, deep blue look, Cuddy examined the letter she'd been handed and, as she read, her hand shot to her mouth.

_James,_

_I am so sorry. _

_I know how much you wanted this, the baby, our family. But I can't do it. _

_You know how important my career is, you know how much I sacrificed for this pregnancy. The promotion I didn't take, the raise, the reputation. And I don't want to do it anymore. I worked too much and too hard to let this get in the way._

_I know you'll be a great father to your little girl, and I know she'll have all the love she needs. So I don't regret my decision. _

_When I look at her I feel nothing. That is not my baby, James. She never was. She's yours, and you will find a way to raise her on your own. I know you will._

_You won't see me again, and please don't come looking for me. I appreciate every moment we had together, but now I have a path of my own to follow. And I need you to respect that._

_I wish you both the best of luck,_

_Clara_

As her eyes scanned over the words for a third time, Cuddy could feel nothing but hatred towards the woman who, barely a day ago, had been sitting in her kitchen, talking to her as a friend.

When she'd noticed Clara's behaviour, she'd thought she was depressed and that the proper medical attention would help her. She had _never_ imagined this. She _could_ never imagine a mother not wanting her child.

"She's gone" Wilson whispered as he leaned back in his seat, his eyes finally meeting the other two people in the room "she left"

"James ..." Cuddy started as she took a step forwards, her eyes softening as she prepared to tell him it was all going to be alright.

"No!" Wilson shook his head "_Don't_ tell me it'll be alright!"

Stopping in her tracks, Cuddy turned back to her fiancé who had, a few moments earlier taken the letter from her.

She knew she wasn't going to reason with Wilson right now. She saw things from a mother's point of view, as much as she knew Wilson could handle this, she also knew her greatest hope was that Clara would come back. And that wasn't an assumption they should be operating on at the moment.

Nodding, House handed a still sleeping Ben to Cuddy and watched as she moved to the other side of the room.

"She's a bitch" were House's first words.

Looking up at his best friend, Wilson let his head hang again as Cuddy frowned. Sure, she wanted House to talk to Wilson, and she wasn't Clara's biggest fan at the moment, but she wasn't sure insulting the mother of Wilson's only child was the way to go.

"Don't you _dare_ pity her" said House, quickly, looking over his shoulder at Cuddy, warning her not to try and soften the situation as he began to see that '_caring_' look in his best friend's eyes "she made the decision to leave of her own accord. She _chose_ to leave her daughter. She didn't have to, but she did. So don't you _dare_ feel sorry for her!"

"What am I going to do?" Wilson whispered, his eyes meeting Cuddy's now

Taking a few steps forwards, Cuddy tried to speak again "_you_ are going to get your daughter, and be the father she needs"

"I can't" Wilson shook his head

"Please" House groaned "if anyone can it Mr. Wonder boy oncologist"

Wilson smiled slightly at the nick name; that was an improvement.

"I can't be a father to her, not by myself! I need ..." he shook his head

"No, _I_ couldn't be a father by myself, _I_ need someone at my side. _You_? You can ... Clara obviously thinks so"

"And so do we" nodded Cuddy

"I wouldn't even know where to begin! She's a baby! She needs a mother not ..."

Sighing, House moved around Wilson and forced him to stand "She _needs_ a parent who will take care of her. I'm pretty sure she makes no demands about said parent's gender. Now, get up and go see your daughter. Trust me, it's the hardest step" He added as his eyes, momentarily fell on Ben's

When Wilson still hesitated, House spoke again "you once told me that if I didn't give Ben a chance to hate me, I wouldn't give him a chance to love me either ... take your own advice"

Looking at Cuddy and getting an encouraging nod, Wilson nodded slightly to House and, standing, began moving towards the nursery.

"Thank you" Cuddy sighed to House once Wilson was gone.

Turning to her, House nodded.

"Did Wilson _really_ say that to you? About Ben, I mean" she asked as she handed Ben back to him

"Yea" House replied

As he examined his son's sleeping face, Cuddy smiled, leaned up and kissed him softly on the cheek "I'm really glad you took his advice"

A few seconds later, as he and Cuddy made their way out of the room to check on Wilson, House looked down at his sleeping son and barely suppressed a smile; so was he.

* * *

"She looks like Clara" Wilson whispered as House and Cuddy moved to his side and looked, through the glass window, at all the babies on the other side.

"She has your eyes" Cuddy countered as the little girl moved around in the basin labelled 'Baby girl Wilson'

Hanging his head against the glass, Wilson shook his head "what am I going to do?"

Looking over at House, Cuddy slowly placed a hand on Wilson's shoulder "go see her"

"And then what? I quit my job and stay home with her? I ... what?" he looked from Cuddy to House, now.

Frowning at House, Cuddy nodded and made up her mind "tomorrow, you'll pick her up, you'll come home with _us_ and we'll figure it out" she replied

"What? I can't ..." when Cuddy refused to change her mind, Wilson looked to House "you sure?"

Looking at Cuddy and hoisting Ben higher onto his side, he nodded.

Nodding in return, Wilson smiled weakly to Cuddy "thank you"

Smiling back, Cuddy motioned with her head towards the nursery and as Wilson, understanding what she was wanted him to do, rounded the corner and opened the door that would lead him to his daughter, her smile broadened.

"So we get rid of your parents and you replace them with Wilson?" House asked with a slight grin as he turned to Cuddy "it's almost like you don't want to spend time alone with me"

Shaking her head and passing a hand through Ben's soft brown hair with a smile, Cuddy replied "damn, you got me ..." then, turning back to the window and watching as a nurse handed Wilson's little girl to him, she sighed "he's really going to need our help"

And, watching Wilson's terrified look as he held his daughter, House recalled how he'd felt holding Ben for the first time and agreed with Cuddy. Wilson really was going to need help.

**TBC**

* * *

_Hm ... House, Wilson and Cuddy under the same roof with two kids? Am I the only one who thinks that's going to be fun? :P_

_Also, do you think we've seen the last of Clara? Do you _want_ us to have seen the last of Clara?_

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N**__: I am SOOOOOOOOO sorry for this unacceptably late update. I did try to update, I really did, but between going home for the holidays, visiting family and friends that I hadn't seen in 3 months, coming back to uni and beginning to tackle all the studying I must do for the 3 tests and one exam I have coming up in the next two weeks, I just had no time! I'm so sorry! :( _

_I hope you guys are still there, because, I assure you, I still am. Updating is hard right now, but once my exam is done with, I'll have a month of free time, so that should improve things considerably._

_Also, as always, thank you so much to Hilly for the messages on fanpop urging me to continue, :) It's great to know you really like this xD (Can't wait for more of your fics!)_

_Oh, and I recently found out that the prequel to this story, 'Foetus', was nominated for a 'rock the house award' ... I figure whoever nominated it read the story ... and maybe said person is also reading this one, if so, thank you! It means a lot xD_

_I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please keep telling me what you think, it is incredibly encouraging!_

_Enjoy!_

_

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_

Driving home from the hospital the next day, House couldn't help but smile at his son as he tried to get away from his seat and peered at Wilson's baby girl as she lay, fast asleep, in her carrier between the little boy and her father.

After having spending the night in his office, Wilson had picked his daughter up from the nursery and, immediately, called House and Cuddy to pick him up; as they'd agreed.

Sure, he worked at the hospital and was, usually, perfectly comfortable there, but after everything that had happened within the past 24 hours, he wanted nothing more than to get away from there, to not have to enter the maternity ward again, and to finally rest somewhere quiet with his baby girl.

"Ben, sit back" Cuddy called from her seat as she watched her son pushing himself out of his seat, the straps which were holding him in, straining against his small frame.

"Oh, please" sighed Wilson as he watched House's grin in the rear-view mirror "your son is _not_ trying to hit on my daughter. He is _one_! He's just intrigued by her..."

Shaking his head, House's grin widened "so naïve, Wilson"

Sighing, and touching his daughter's tiny chest as it rose with her breaths, Wilson looked up at Ben whose big blue eyes were focused on him in a tiny frown.

"He'd better not be! Otherwise he's going to get uncle Wilson's boot imprinted all over his tiny butt!" Wilson smiled lightly at the still-confused little boy

Laughing from her seat, Cuddy turned around so she could reach Ben and, pulling on the straps of his seat, ensured that he stayed where he was supposed to "there you go" she smiled as Ben frowned at her, obviously not happy with his lack of freedom.

* * *

Arriving home, Wilson carried his daughter into Ben's room, placing her lightly in the little boy's crib.

"you sure?" he asked Cuddy as she walked in behind him and nodded "she can stay in her carrier ..."

"No, it's fine, really" she smiled

"If the rugrat is sleeping in Ben's crib ... where, may I ask, is Ben sleeping?" House asked entering the room, Ben toddling along at his heels, his eyes immediately falling on his crib, now occupied by that strange creature that so intrigued him.

"With us" Cuddy smiled over her shoulder at him, a more than mocking look on her face as House groaned in protest

"First you invite your parents over, then Wilson, now Ben ... I have a feeling you don't _really_ want to marry me anymore" he said with a pout

Shaking her head and smiling at Wilson, Cuddy reached into the crib and ensured that the little girl was well covered.

"Does it have a name?" House asked nodding to the sleeping girl "I'm good with 'it', but you sentimentalists tend to like to name them ..." he smiled as Wilson and Cuddy exchanged an exasperated glance

"We had a list, but we never really settled on anything" explained Wilson smiling down at the little girl.

"Well, choose one" House shrugged as Cuddy frowned at him

Turning to Wilson, she softened her face "you want to show us the list?" she asked with a smile

Nodding, Wilson took a deep breath and decided it was time to start making the necessary decisions himself, after all, it wasn't like he could expect Clara to come back.

* * *

"Clara liked Catherine, Erica and Gabriella" Wilson explained once he, House and Cuddy were sitting in the living room, Ben at their feet, currently playing with the laces on his father's sneakers.

"And you?" Cuddy asked motioning to House to get Ben away from his shoes before he decided the laces looked edible

Looking down at the little boy as House removed the laces from his hands and placed a small car in them instead, Wilson sighed "I wasn't ever sure, I like Susan, Eleanor, and Leah ... but I, well, Clara didn't want me to ... uh ..."

"To what?" Cuddy asked as Wilson looked down at his shoes

Taking a breath, he nodded "she didn't want me to name her, uh ... I wanted her to have, uh, Amber ... as a second name" as he finished, he dropped his eyes down again

After a few seconds, it was House who spoke "she's not here to stop you now, is she?" he asked

"No, but ..."

"No buts" smiled Cuddy "it's your choice now"

Nodding, Wilson met their eyes again "I'll think about it. Tomorrow, if I've chosen, I'll register her"

Nodding, Cuddy looked at House and smiled. Maybe Wilson was going to pull through after all. Maybe.

* * *

Later that day, as Wilson lay sleeping in the guest room, his baby girl held safely against his body by his arm, House and Cuddy sat on the couch.

Ben had fallen asleep on the arm chair about half an hour earlier and, enjoying the peace and quiet, House had pulled Cuddy against his side and turned on the TV.

And that's how they now sat, both silently watching an episode of some mindless soap on TV, the only other sound in the room coming from Ben's even breathing.

"You sure you want to move the wedding up to September?" she suddenly asked looking up at him.

House nodded

"Ok" Cuddy smiled, "I have to call the planners, then, and start organizing things ... you do know that means you'll be seeing my family again sooner, right?" she asked with a smile as he grimaced slightly

After a pause, House laughed lightly "so long as I get to spend a whole week with you away from everyone in some hot," he wiggled his eyebrows making her giggle "remote, paradisiacal place, I'm ok with it" he grinned

Leaning up, Cuddy kissed him, lightly first, then with more passion as he wrapped an arm around her waist. After a few moments Cuddy broke the kiss and spoke again "I just realised ..."

"How amazing I am?" House asked with another grin as he leaned down to her again and she playfully hit him on the chest

"No ... that in 4 days, it'll be ..."

"Oh" House cut in, realizing that he had completely forgotten something that Cuddy would kill him for "one year" he nodded

"Yea ..." she smiled as she played with his hand, drawing small lines across his palm

As he looked at the profile of her face, House found himself truly thankful that Wilson would be staying under the same roof as them. He was going to need help if he was going to give her the anniversary she deserved. Because, the truth was, he had absolutely no idea where to start.

Hearing Wilson get up, Cuddy sat a little straighter, detaching herself from House, knowing her fiancé was not a fan of PDA's, even if the only 'public' around was his best friend and a sleeping one year old.

"I'm going to go try and call the planners, ok?" she asked kissing him lightly on the cheek.

Nodding, House watched her stand up and head into the study just as Wilson entered the living room, his hair slightly mussed up, his baby daughter in his arms.

"Hey, do you mind getting her carrier? I was scared of leaving her alone on the bed" he whispered to House as he looked up

Sighing, House slowly got up, grabbing his cane, and limped towards the nursery, forcing his limp as he walked past Wilson, a grin on his face as his friend rolled his eyes.

"You do realise she doesn't have enough mobility to _actually_ roll off the _queen size_ bed you were on, right?" House asked as he returned, the baby carrier in one hand, his cane in another

"I ..." Wilson shook his head. Yes, he was being very protective, but then again, he _was_ a new father, he was scared. Every time he looked at the little girl in his arms, he felt that she would break, should he breath to loud. It was kind of daunting.

House shook his head "the fear goes away within a few weeks" he said placing the carrier on the couch in front of Wilson and returning to his seat where he could keep an eye on Ben who, unlike the little girl, _did_ have enough mobility to fall flat on the floor should he move around too much.

Smiling as he placed his daughter safely in the carrier, Wilson spoke "I never thought _you'd_ be the one giving me advice on ... well, anything"

Rolling his eyes, House moved on "well, let's reverse the rolls then. It's Cuddy's and my anniversary next week ..."

"Yea ..." said Wilson obviously as he, too took a seat "Oh ... and you forgot ..." he added shaking his head

House nodded "this isn't my kind of thing ... with Stacy one of us always had to work ... so it was never a big deal ... after that ... well, this _is_ the only 'after that' ..." he spoke looking at the floor "I want ..."

"You want to do something special" Wilson smiled, looking over his shoulder to ensure that Cuddy was still in the study, on the phone with the wedding planners she'd been recommended. "You want me to clear out for the night? I can keep Ben and ..."

House shook his head "Nah ... staying at home is ... well ... what we do all the time ..."

Nodding, Wilson smiled "So you were thinking ..."

"I don't know ..." House shook his head and groaned, he really wasn't any good at any of this. It was easy to live with Cuddy, to do nice, small things every now and again, but big romantic gestures were _not_ his forte. "Do people still do the whole flowers and candy thing?" he pathetically asked as Wilson fought back the urge to laugh.

"Not quite ... at least not once you pass 12th grade" he chuckled, then, starting to smile slightly, added "I guess we have some planning to do, then ..."

**TBC**

* * *

_I really hope you enjoyed that, and I really am sorry for the late update! Please do leave a review and, as you may have noticed, I have yet to name baby girl Wilson (just as with Ben, naming characters takes forever with me ...). I do have some ideas, but I'm open to suggestions :)_

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N**__: Ok, so I am now on a month long vacation having finished my only exam last week :D Of course, this means you guys get an update, and you'll be happy to know that there is another chapter already written ... _

_I hope you are still enjoying this story, I just read over "Foetus" and started writing again, so I hope to post frequently over these weeks :D_

_(BTW, sorry if anything in this AN doesn't make sense, but I'm watching "Top Secret" from season 3 as a type, so I might be a little distracted at times ... god, I love the "I've been thinking about you" scene :P)_

_Enjoy!_

_

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_

"Only?" Cuddy asked the planner over the phone with a slightly disappointed look "Well, I guess, yea ... that should be ok ... I'll have to talk to ... yea, ok I'll get back to you"

Putting the phone down, she quickly scribbled down some notes on a near-by piece of paper and stood to rejoin House and Wilson.

* * *

"So ..." House said waiting for Wilson to start giving him ideas, after all, when there wasn't a white board around, Wilson would have to do.

"Well, you could ..." but just then the door to the study opened and the two fell silent.

Frowning, Cuddy walked towards them, the piece of paper in her hand "what were you two conspiring about?"

"Nothing" said Wilson in a less than conspicuous manner

Glancing at Wilson with a mildly bored look, House replied "we figured since we already did the whole 'Wilson and House living together and playing college pranks one each other' thing ... we should start working on you, now" he grinned as Cuddy rolled her eyes and took a seat next to him

"you are both aware that, should anything barely resembling what you just suggested happen, I'm tossing you both out on the street, right?" she asked sweetly as Wilson chuckled and House grinned

"No you wouldn't ..." he said smugly

"Try me" she replied in a beat, looking him straight in the eyes.

Smirking, House looked over at Wilson "after that look, I think Wilson should leave the room"

Glaring at him, Cuddy motioned for Wilson to stay and turned back to her fiancé "no he shouldn't, and we have things to talk about" she said holding up the piece of paper she'd been holding

"But mooooom!" House wined as Wilson smiled, loving the exchange between the two and finding it amazingly hard to believe that, barely over a year ago, they couldn't even be in the same room without the tension meter shooting off the charts.

Ignoring House's last childish moment and moving on, Cuddy showed him the paper "they say they don't have any openings in September, say it's too short notice"

"Short notice?!" House asked "It's three and a half months away!"

Smiling, Cuddy nodded "yes, but a lot of people start preparing these things up to a whole year in advance ..."

Groaning, House looked over at Wilson whose face was one of total amusement "can't we just elope?" he asked, his eyes, for some reason still on Wilson, silently trying to burn a whole in him for being amused

"Well, we can, but I don't think Cuddy would be too happy" he replied getting a laugh out of Cuddy which made the little girl beside him start to stir "Oops" he said as she started whimpering

"There's some powdered milk for her in the kitchen" said Cuddy, having bought some the night before

"Thanks" he smiled as he stood and picked up the carrier before walking to the kitchen.

Now along, House turned to Cuddy "So, what do you want to do?" he asked

"Well, their first opening after September is the "28th of October"

"That's almost November!" House protested

Smiling, Cuddy kissed him lightly on the lips "I promise my dad won't have enough time to turn me against you in the next 4 months"

"Why's that?" he asked

"'Coz he won't be around" she replied with another look that made House wish Wilson wasn't around

"And again with the look, woman" he groaned pulling her towards him, his eyes falling on the kitchen door momentarily to ensure Wilson was still battling the baby formula, before claiming her mouth.

"Mh huh" Cuddy shook her head as House began to deepen the kiss, and pulled back "Wilson's right there" she nodded towards the door

"Hey, Wilson!" House called "you mind if I do Cuddy in the living room while you're in there?" he asked getting a slightly painful slap in the chest from Cuddy

After a few seconds, Wilson poked his head out of the doorway to the kitchen - through which the little girl's cries could now be heard – and said "nope. Go right ahead"

"See, he's good with it" House grinned kissing Cuddy again as she, for a few moments gave up the fight, only to start it back up again when both his hands snaked around her waist.

"Ok, now, seriously" she looked at him, "what do you want to do about the dates?"

Sighing, House looked over at Ben and nodded "28th is fine by me"

"Ok" Cuddy wrote the date down "Now we need to choose a place, the food, the music, the clothes, the c ..."

"Ok!" House held his hand up "I changed my mind! I don't want to get married"

Holding up her left hand and pointing to the engagement ring sitting on her ring finger, Cuddy smiled "too late"

Accepting the small peck she gave him, House sighed "Can we just ... take it _real_ slow?" he asked

Nodding, Cuddy smiled

"And if you could do all the colour things yourself ..." but he didn't finish as Cuddy had turned to him, glaring slightly

"Fine!" he groaned like a child who couldn't get what he wanted

Smiling again, Cuddy sat back, her back against him, his arm slightly over her shoulder and looked over at Ben.

She knew getting House to participate in the preparations was going to be hard, and she knew she had to take it slow. Even though she was sure they were, finally, in it for the long haul, she was still scared of pushing House too far. She needed him to feel comfortable, so she'd go slow. But she also knew that it wasn't just _her_ wedding, and she'd be damned if he wasn't going to put some input in as well.

* * *

That night, after having dinner, Cuddy moved up stairs to put Ben to bed, leaving House and Wilson in the living room.

"So, what exactly happened to your lip?" Wilson asked, realising he had failed to mention the now decreasing bruise and cut on House's lower lip.

Touching it lightly, House shrugged "Cuddy's dad"

"Cuddy's ... what?!" he semi-whispered "He, he punched you?"

Nodding, House looked over at the steps to his bedroom, not wanting Cuddy to come down, not wanting to remind her of the fear she'd felt when she thought he'd actually cheated on her.

"He saw _Abby_" he looked disgusted at the name "jump me ... got it the other way round, made Cuddy believe I'd cheated on her ..."

"You hadn't told her yet?!" Wilson asked shocked

Shaking his head, House continued "so yea, I told him she had kissed me, and that I hadn't kissed back, that what he thought he saw must have been some kind of reflex as I shoved her off ... he still didn't believe me, so I volunteered to demonstrate it on him ..."

"And he punched you?" Wilson asked shaking his head "shocking!"

Shrugging, House touched the bruise lightly again and leaned forwards, his elbows on his knees

"Anyway, since she's not here ..." House began as Wilson realised what he was on about and leaned forwards too

"Well, you could take her out to dinner, some nice restaurant, buy her the dress, some flowers, dancing ..."

Shaking his head and frowning, House asked "_who_ are you talking to?"

"Right" Wilson nodded "next, uh, well ... I'm guessing coming back here for the night is out ..." he began knowing House wouldn't want to go back there with him, Wilson, there with two small children "ok, so ... rent a hotel room, some place nice, quiet ... get her something nice"

"Like?" he asked completely lost

"Jewellery?" suggested Wilson, after all, diamonds _are_ a girl's best friends.

Nodding, House agreed "that's it?"

"Well, you could go more romantic ... but I'm afraid you'd go deaf just from hearing the ideas I have ..."

Raising his hands, House grinned and decided to get off clinic duty the next day and check some hotels out.

"I'm going to bed" Cuddy called as she began to descend the steps, completely oblivious to the conversation that had been going on bellow "you coming?" she asked House once she finally reappeared on the bottom landing.

"uh," House looked over at Wilson, "sure. Night Wilson"

"Night House, Cuddy" He looked over his shoulder and nodded to her

"Oh, and you get the rest of the week off" she smiled "stay here, get to know your daughter..."

"Name her" House cut in getting a glare from Cuddy

"and when you're ready, your job will be right where you left it" she finished with a smile

"thanks" he said standing up to go to his room "see you tomorrow, then"

"Night" Cuddy called as she and House began climbing the stairs to their room.

* * *

Waking up the next morning, Cuddy could help but smile as she looked over to find Ben, who had fallen asleep between herself and House, snuggled against his father's chest as House's arm held him in place.

Deciding not to wake them just yet, she descended the stairs and got herself some breakfast before going back upstairs and beginning the tricky task of waking her soon-to-be husband up.

"House" she whispered in his ear "Hoouuse"

"Uhph ..." he groaned turning his face away from her

"Greeeg" she tried, softly shaking him "you're going to be late"

"No care" he mumbled into Ben's hair as he turned further away from her

Waking from the noise, Ben opened his eyes and began to move a little. Smiling, Cuddy watched as House slowly opened one eye, then the other, at first confused as to what the little boy was doing there, then looking happy to see him.

"you up now?" Cuddy asked getting both the guys' eyes on her. Taking a breath as she registered the two pairs of identical, ice-blue eyes staring back at her, she continued "I'm going to shower, you're next. Get Ben dressed and we have to be out of here in an hour"

"But I'm sleepy!" he groaned, stretching his arms out above his head, accidentally hitting his hand against the head board "shi..."

"House!" Cuddy cut him off before he finished swearing and looked at Ben, with a giggle looking at his father and repeating his mother's word.

"Ow" he changed as he slowly sat up, Ben moving to sit next to him.

"Now go, we have to be in the hospital by 9" Cuddy said again as she moved into the bathroom.

"If your mom wasn't as hot as she is, I'd ..."

"I can still hear you!" Cuddy called from the other side of the closed bathroom as House made a face and Ben giggled. "Well, let's get you dressed, shall we?" he then asked Ben who had started chewing on the end on his father's t-shirt

* * *

"House!" Cuddy called as, at 8:53 she stood by the door, Ben in his play pen, Wilson in the bathroom having just woken up and House, as usual, in the kitchen, half-way through his coffee, a half-eaten toast forgotten on the counter on which he was leaning.

"God, woman" he moaned as he limped back towards her "didn't you ever hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?" he asked

"sure, but since you'll be stuffing your face with whatever cafeteria junk food you can get your hands on as soon as we get there, I don't see the problem" she smiled sweetly as she opened the door and headed towards the car

"You know, you _are_ the dean ... if you don't like the menus, change them ..." he called as he limped after her to the passenger seat.

"What for? You'd still get your hands on junk food" she shrugged as he nodded; the woman made a fair point.

**TBC**

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed that, and I am planning to name the baby girl either in the next chapter or the one after. Also, I can't wait for Cuddy's episode on the 8__th__ :D and, *spoiler* I felt so angry at the end of last episode ... If I could, I'd kill her :P _

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N**__: Hey! I'm back :) I hope you enjoy this chapter, and hope you're still interested, because I sure am ;)_

_As always, thanks to everyone for your reviews, they really keep me going ... especially since I decided I _didn't_ want to watch the first 4 minutes of 9to5 because I wanted to enjoy the episode (mostly) spoiler free ... so I'm suffering here! :P_

_Enjoy!_

_

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_

"House, Clin..." Cuddy began as she entered the Diagnostic's department's outer office that afternoon. She was already upset that they'd arrived 20 minutes late after hitting traffic on the way there, and now he'd chosen to skip clinic duty "where is he?" she asked Foreman with a sigh as she looked around and placed her hand on the back of a nearby chair.

Shrugging, Foreman looked over to Thirteen and Taub

"I know nothing" Taub raised his hands as he stood to refill his coffee mug

"He said something about going somewhere for the afternoon ... you do _not_ want to know what he said _I_ should do should you come looking for him" said Thirteen looking up from the chart she was reading with a small smile remembering House's suggestion that she break out her hand-cuffs and keep the 'boss-lady' busy.

Shaking her head and agreeing that she really didn't want to know, Cuddy sighed, "when he gets back, tell him I want to see him. And tell him I seemed to be in a particularly good mood. That should get him there faster" she added as she opened the door before leaving.

* * *

"Mr. Richford" House said to the desk clerk at the second five star hotel he'd visited that afternoon.

"Mr. Richford is busy, may I take a message?" the young girl asked not looking up from the computer screen

"Tell him Dr. House is here to see him" when she continued to pay no attention, he grabbed the top of the computer screen and turned it towards him "_Or_ I'll let him know you find..." he scanned the page "the trials and tribulations of Brad and Angie's relationship more important that your job" he finished, smiling his best fake-sweet smile as she quickly stood from her chair and headed to the offices through the door marked 'Authorised Personnel Only'

"Yes?" a short, bearded man, whom House assumed to be Mr. Richford, asked a few moments later

"I'm Dr. House, we spoke on the phone ..." he explained

"Ah, Dr. House, yes" he smiled grabbing a key card from the pile beside the computer and quickly programming it for the presidential suite House had requested to see.

"If you'll follow me" he then said placing the key card in his jacket pocket and heading towards the elevators

Before following the manager, House quickly turned back to the young woman at the desk "personally, I think the rumours of a break up are bogus ... but that's just me" he winked at her as she looked from the screen to him.

* * *

"It's our finest suite" the manager smiled as he held the door open for House to enter "two floors" he nodded to the staircase on his left "through there" he pointed "is the living area, sofas, television, full surround sound, over there is the dining area, should you rent the room, the hotel will provide complimentary fruit salads and champagne"

"What kind?" House asked, liking the idea of free champagne

"Don Perignon, of course" the manager smiled

"Good" the diagnostician nodded as he continued to walk around, now entering the living room.

And if he hadn't yet been sure this was the perfect suite, he was now. There, in the corner, in all its glory, was a beautiful, black Baldwin baby grand just waiting to be played.

"I see you like the piano" Richmond smiled "most people see it only as decoration, so I didn't think to mention it"

Deciding that if the upstairs of the suite were any good, he'd take it, House asked "what's upstairs?"

"Oh, a king size bed, another television with surround sound, of course. There's a terrace with lounge chairs and the bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub as well as a shower, all in marble" he explained

Smiling, House looked around once more and nodded "I'll take it"

Smiling widely, the manager patted him on the back "great! If you come downstairs we'll get the reservation sorted"

* * *

"I was told to come and see you" House said as he burst through Cuddy's office "I hear you're in a good mood" he wiggled his eyebrows as he moved closer to her desk "did Thirteen do as I asked?" he asked her

"No, sadly I had to get this annoying doctor who works here to do his clinic duty before she could get the hand cuffs on me ..." she replied without skipping a beat "oh, and look, said annoying doctor is here"

"Oh, come on ... I got Taub to cover" he tried

"He was sitting chatting with Foreman and Thirteen the last time I saw him, oh, an _hour_ ago" she said glaring at him

"Ok, so ... I got W ..." but he stopped remembering Wilson wasn't in the hospital

Sighing, Cuddy sat back in her chair "where were you?"

"I ..." he paused "just went out for lunch" he concluded. Sure, an actual excuse would have been a better idea, but his actual excuse wasn't something Cuddy was supposed to know.

"At least you were honest, but we've been over this, House" she sighed "Just because we're together now doesn't mean you get to do as you please around here!"

"Why not? It's what I did before" he grinned; well, it _was_ true.

"Just" she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose "just go do your job, please"

Knowing that pissing her off wasn't really worth it, and thankful that she hadn't asked anymore questions, House nodded and left quietly.

* * *

"Where's House?" Cuddy asked Foreman as she found him sitting on House's chair, a stack of charts in front of him several hours later "I told him I'd meet him here to go home ..."

"He hasn't been back since lunch" Foreman shrugged and went back to reading.

Figuring House had probably gone home after showing his face in the clinic, Cuddy decided to head to the nurses' station and ask Brenda what time her fiancé had signed out, just so she could yell at him a little more at home.

* * *

"He what?!" Cuddy asked staring in disbelief at Nurse Brenda

"He's in exam room 3 if you don't believe me" she shrugged as she picked up some charts and walked away from the station.

Not quite believing what Brenda had suggested was possible, Cuddy began walking towards exam room 3. When she knocked on the door and heard House's voice tell her to come in, her heart nearly stopped.

Was he _really_ doing clinic? Voluntarily?!

"There you are" she said in her most normal tone not wanting to ask House what he was up to in front of the patient.

Holding up a hand to her, House quickly signed off on the chart he was holding and turned to the patient "apply this cream" he ripped a sheet from his prescription pad "three times a day for the next week, and no sex"

"Thank you, Dr. House" the 40 something year old woman smiled as she got up from the examination table and walked past Cuddy.

"Did she just thank you?" Cuddy asked looking over her shoulder at the woman "And did you just examine what you so professionally refer to as 'crotch rot' without a single comment?!"

"You told me to do my job" House shrugged

"I _always_ tell you to do your job, you _never_ listen" she countered

"Fine!" House feigned defeat "I kinda ... felt bad for skipping out for lunch" he looked at the floor, and had to fight really hard to suppress his grin when Cuddy seemed to fall for what he'd said

"That is almost sweet" she said, a frown still on her face

"Ok, and I wanted to get into your pants" he added, allowing the grin to spread on his face; that she'd believe.

Chuckling, Cuddy stood on her tip toes and kissed him lightly on the lips "if Ben wasn't sleeping upstairs, I just might let you" she whispered before turning and leaving "I'll meet you in the car" she shouted back with a grin as House glared at her; she really was going to be the death of him.

As he walked upstairs to retrieve his belongings, House couldn't help but smirk to himself. She'd completely fallen for it. She really believed he'd left work for lunch, she really thought he felt bad about it, and she wasn't mad.

God he was good!

* * *

"Honey, we're home!" House called as he and Cuddy entered their home to the sound of two crying infants.

"Where is he?" Cuddy asked House looking around for their friend.

"Oh!" Wilson exclaimed as he walked out of the kitchen, his daughter crying in his arms and Ben crawling behind them "thank God you're home!"

"What's wrong?" Cuddy asked as she quickly picked her son up and wiped one of his tears away

"Ellie was hungry, I'm fixing her dinner, she started crying, Ben joined in" Wilson explained looking down at the crying girl in his arms "I don't know what she wants ..."

"Ellie?" Cuddy asked with a smile

"Tried changing her?" House asked at the same time

Smiling, Wilson nodded "yea" he replied to Cuddy "and, no, I haven't"

"I got her diapers, they're in the nursery" Cuddy explained with a smile.

Smiling, Wilson quickly turned towards the nursery leaving the three Houses standing in the living room

"He seems to be adjusting well" House nodded with a more than fake nod and smile.

"Go help him?" Cuddy asked as she continued to sooth Ben "what is wrong with him?" she then asked as she moved some of his curls away from his forehead

"Nothing" House explained as Ben reached for him "kids copy each other ... it's why most parents choose to wait at least 4 years before procreating again" he shrugged "one cries, the others cry ... vicious circle"

"Daddah!" Ben called grabbing the collar of House's shirt

"So he's just attention seeking?" she asked with a sigh

Nodding, House grinned "and as you can see, _mommy_" he mocked her "it works"

Sighing, Cuddy put her coat down on the nearest couch and dropped her bag on the floor next to it "how about you go give him a bath while I make sure Wilson knows how to change a diaper?"

Shrugging, House raised Ben up and sat him on his shoulders, one leg on each side of his head before heading towards the bathroom

"And make sure he doesn't hit his head on any door frames" Cuddy called after them as she headed to the nursery.

* * *

"So, Ellie?" Cuddy asked as she stood beside Wilson, trying not to laugh as he managed to wrap two thirds of his daughter in the white diaper

Smiling down at the baby, Wilson nodded "yea, Eleanor Amber Wilson"

"That's a lovely name" Cuddy smiled "I'm sure Amber would be very happy" she patted him on the back

"Thanks" he smiled as he picked Ellie up, examining her as Cuddy tried not to laugh

"You want some help?" she asked

"Would you?"

Nodding and smiling, Cuddy took over and, in about a quarter of the time it had taken Wilson, Ellie was redressed and happily chewing on her hand

"How'd you do that?!" he asked

Shrugging, Cuddy replied "practice, House only ever changed diapers when no one else was around to do it and only when it smelt so bad that he couldn't handle it anymore. Don't worry, you'll get there" she smiled

"Thanks"

* * *

"House?" Cuddy called as she exited the nursery.

"In here" she heard his voice coming from the bathroom besides the nursery

* * *

"You have got to be up to something" Cuddy smiled as she leaned on the door frame watching House sitting awkwardly on the edge of the bathtub where Ben was happily splashing water everywhere "you're doing way too many things without complaining ..." she frowned at him with another smile as he got up

Looking down at the giant water marks all over his trousers and shirt from Ben's splashing, House began walking towards her ready to execute his evil plan

"I told you ..." he smirked moving towards her with every intention of getting her red suit wet "I want to get in your pants" he finished wrapping his arms around her before she had a change to make her escape and kissing her

"House!" Cuddy cried as she felt the water from his clothes seeping into hers

Ignoring her, House kissed her again, this time smiling as she responded and groaning when Wilson's voice reminded him that they weren't alone

"You kids think this is appropriate behaviour?!" he called with a smirk as he cradled Ellie in his arms "there are babies present!"

"Sorry, _dad_" House groaned as he moved back to sit on the bathtub

Smiling, Cuddy walked out of the bathroom again and, when she reached Wilson, looked back over her shoulder as House, his hair completely soaked, droplets dripping around him frowned down at a giggling Ben.

"Who'd have thought, huh?" Wilson asked with a smile as he watched Cuddy's face

Smiling and nodding, Cuddy turned back and, after touching Ellie's soft brown hair as the infant drifted into sleep, went on her way, her smile everything but fading.

**TBC**

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed that and that there weren't too many mistakes (it is 2:30 am here ...). Hope you're as excited about Cuddy's eppie tomorrow as I am xD_

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N**__: Hey! I'm sorry for the long wait, but my holidays ended, and I've just started the second semester, starting the subjects of Histology, Biology and Biophysics, on top of Anatomy and Czech lessons, so time has become a very scarce thing :(_

_I hope you enjoy this, I certainly loved writing it, and you'll be happy to know that I have _finally_, after many hours of research found the missing part to the plot of this story and that, therefore, I have everything fully planned. So, as long as I have time to write, you'll get an update :)_

_As always, thank you all soooo much for your reviews and for reading, it really is rewarding to know people like this story. Speaking of which, you may recall me mentioning that "Foetus" was nominated for a 'rock the house award', well, voting is now open, so I, along with, I'm sure, all the other nominated authors would really appreciate it if you guys could pop by and vote for your favourite story, author, novel, video, fan art ... etc :D_

_Also, because she is just awesome, thanks to Hilly for reminding me that I hadn't posted in a while, you really have her to thank for never letting me forget about this story :)_

_Enjoy!_

_

* * *

  
_

"So?" Wilson asked House later that day as, after dinner, he and his friend sat in the living room while Cuddy sat in the home office taking care of whatever hospital business she'd had to take home for the night.

Frowning, House looked at Wilson not entirely sure what his friend was on about

"Did you rent something?" Wilson then asked

Finally aware of what they were talking about, House nodded "the suite you suggested, actually"

He had to try real hard not to laugh as Wilson's eyes practically shot out of their orbits "But ... I mean, I said you'd like it ... but ... that's gotta have cost you a fortune!"

Smiling and nodding, House shifted his eyes over to the door to the office to make sure Cuddy wasn't going to appear any time soon "Three grand"

"Thr..." Wilson sort of whistled "wow! That much?!"

"Room, dinner and everything, yea ..."

Frowning, Wilson quickly glanced over his shoulder as he heard Cuddy get off the phone in the other room "everything? What's 'everything'?" he asked

Smirking, House quickly placed his feet up on the coffee table, knowing Cuddy hated it when he did that, and replied "now that's for me to know and Cuddy to find out about, isn't it?" he asked rather suggestively making Wilson almost physically cringe, raising his hands in total surrender.

"Forget I asked" he said just as Cuddy, Ben toddling at her feet, exited the office, a bunch of papers in hand.

"You free Thursday afternoon?" Cuddy asked as House pretended to look shocked

"Dr. Cuddy! You know I'm not ... I have clinic duty, and I take my job very seriously. Plus, the boss lady's a bit of a bitch" he said as Wilson attempted not to laugh "she wouldn't be happy if I skipped out ..."

Smirking and swatting her fiancé's feet off the table as she took a seat beside him, Cuddy nodded "yes well, I hear she's willing to let you off clinic duty so you can meet with the nice people who'll be planning your wedding ..."

Groaning, House rolled his eyes "so you're asking me to choose between crotch rot or cake flavours ..." he pretended to ponder "think the dean will let me eat the cake samples off her body?" he asked Wilson with a smirk

"I think she'd kill you if you even tried" he smiled as Cuddy nodded

"Do you th..." he began to ask Cuddy before she cut him off, bending down slightly to pick Ben up

"You're coming" she said brushing a few curls from Ben's face as the little boy rested his head against her chest grabbing a bit of her shirt with his tiny hand as he fell asleep "no arguing" she added holding up a hand when House went to protest "I'm going to put him to bed" she continued kissing her son's head "you coming?"

Nodding, House grabbed his cane

"Good night, Wilson" Cuddy smiled as she walked around the couch

"Night Cuddy" he smiled back as House limped after her

Turning to Wilson, the diagnostician grinned, "Night honey" he said as he got to the stairs "Soon as the boss lady falls asleep, I'll sneak down" he winked

Shaking his head, Wilson shared a smile with Cuddy and watched as his best friends disappeared up the stairs.

Turning off the TV, Wilson stood and stretched his arms up above his head. It had been a tough day, what with taking care of both Ben and Ellie, and both of them refusing to sleep when he wanted them to. But now, finally, Ellie was fast asleep in Ben's crib and he could get some rest. Or so he thought.

* * *

Four hours later, at three thirty seven am, Wilson was startled awake by the surprisingly loud cries coming from the tiny monitor beside his bed.

"WILSON!" he heard House call from upstairs as he slowly got up, his eyes hating the light he'd just turned on

Dragging himself from the guest room to the nursery, Wilson finally approached the crib to find the tiny, day-old baby screaming at the top of her surprisingly efficient lungs

"What's wrong, honey?" he asked her as he picked her up and began attempting to rock her back to sleep.

When she didn't quiet down, he did the math and realised she hadn't eaten in a few hours. Looking at the clock on the wall beside the crib and groaning, he made sure his daughter was secure in his arms before starting his sleepy walk to the kitchen.

He _really_ hoped Cuddy was right, he needed to start getting the hang of 'this' as soon as possible.

* * *

As the next few days passed, Wilson was happy to note that dealing with the new born infant did, in fact, become easier. He wasn't entirely certain he'd ever get used to waking up twice through the night, and he was damn sure he would never be able to get over the feeling that, should he breath with her in his arms, she'd break. But changing and feeding her became easier, as did not worrying so much about her when she was asleep in a different room.

Now sitting in House's office where he'd been summoned by a 911 page, the oncologist pushed his daughter's stroller back and forth, hoping she'd fall asleep as Ben sat on his father's lap, his hand tentatively touching different keys on the computer before him.

"You know the deal, right?" House asked

Nodding, Wilson sighed, they'd been over this enough times. That afternoon, House and Cuddy would be meeting with the wedding planners to discuss whatever needed to be done and what kind of money they'd need to spend. Later, Wilson would mention the fact that the very next day would be their anniversary so as to successfully get Cuddy pissed off at House for not having remembered. The next day, Cuddy, still pissed, would drag House out of bed at some ungodly hour just to punish him, probably using some story about having an early meeting. Wilson would then pack some clothes for Ben and have him ready for Blythe to pick up at lunch time. Meanwhile, House would put _his_ part of the plan in motion, and, hopefully, the entire thing would end in him getting laid. At least, that's how he hoped it would go.

"Yes" Wilson sighed his reply "are you _nervous_?" he asked with a grin. When House didn't reply, he continued "you _are_! That's why you keep checking in with me ..."

Shifting Ben back to his left leg as the toddler attempted to change his seating arrangements, House attempted to mumble some excuse, but Wilson cut him off as he stood

"I know you hate it when I say things like this, but I really think she's going to love it ..."

Nodding and looking down at Ben, House hoped so, he wasn't a romantic, he didn't make big gestures, but he certainly hoped that when, for the first time, he did make one, it would be duly noted.

As Wilson stood and asked House for help taking the kids to the parking lot, he noticed how House was leaning on his cane, his hand grabbing it a little tighter than normal.

"You ok?" he asked nodding to his friend's ever-present prop

Nodding, House looked down as Ben latched onto his left leg, and began his odd limp out of the office, hoping the pain would subside before his meeting that afternoon. But who was he kidding?

* * *

"You're late!" Cuddy sighed as House entered her office a few hours later, having just, unbeknownst to her, driven home with Wilson to help him get both kids back in the house.

"Sorry ... Cameron was feeling needy, I couldn't get here any sooner, this gonna take long?" he asked the guy sitting across from Cuddy "I have to go meet thirteen in an hour ... you _don't_ want to know what she will do to me if I'm late" he added with a wink as Cuddy rolled her eyes

"I assume this is the groom ..." the other person in the room, a woman, asked as Cuddy nodded

Sighing and looking at House as he pulled up a chair, Cuddy replied "that's him in all his sarcastic glory ..."

"Well, Dr. House, I am Tracy Kelly and this is my partner Jamie Austin" the woman stood to shake House's hand as the man nodded.

"So, Jamie and Tracy" House forced his most sincere smile as he looked from each of them to Cuddy and back "where do we start?"

"Well" Jamie began "for starters, I'd avoid being late at your own wedding ... that might not go down too well with the bride" he smiled as both he and Tracy opened their notepads and grabbed their pens.

"So, let's talk venues ..." Tracy started as House involuntarily slouched down in his chair and groaned, his hand finding his leg. This was going to be a _long_ afternoon.

* * *

Two hours and a half later, House had moved to the couch from where he sometimes spoke, cutting down Jamie's overly extravagant ideas and Tracy's excessively romantic ones.

"No" House cut in, his hand falling to his leg as it began to throb lightly under his trousers "I draw the line at swans ... and doves aren't acceptable either" he growled as Tracy tried to offer and alternative.

"Can't we just kick this old school?" he then asked, his eyes pleading with Cuddy to get the meeting over with before the pain in his leg got to the point where he'd cut one of the planners' heads off "I mean, a quick signature, party hard until morning, lots of booze and good music then off to some remote, untraceable place for a whole lot of sex?" he suggested as Cuddy sighed

"Maybe we'd better continue this next week" she suggested as House sighed of relief

Nodding, still slightly shocked by the most abrasive groom they'd ever met, Tracy and Jamie stood to shake the Dean's hand "Oh, and until then, if you could go over this list of songs" Jamie said handing her two stapled A4 sheets "this is our usual selection, but if there is anything specific you two" he looked over at House with a mildly frightened look "wish to add, feel free to do so" he smiled and shook Cuddy's hand.

Once they were gone, Cuddy reached into her top drawer and took out her fiancé's pills "here" she said handing him one as she walked over to him.

Since Ben's birth, House had significantly cut down on his use of Vicodin, but there were still times when his pain got to near unbearable points. At the hospital, Cuddy was the only one who had access to his pills, and when he needed them, he had to ask her for them. They'd agreed that he needed to cut down, and they'd decided that her having some control was best.

And right then, _she_ decided that a little pain relief was necessary for him.

House was stressed. If his increasing sarcasm hadn't been enough of a clue, the increasing leg pain was. Over the past year, the pain had become significantly stress-related. Before proposing to her, he'd been limping almost as he had after his accident, now, he was in pain again.

He was hating the experience of having two strangers decide what he and Cuddy would wear and what they'd eat and what they'd say to each other and he was scared to death of the idea of getting married, even if it _was_ his idea ... God, his leg hurt.

"What do you say we go slow?" Cuddy asked placing her hand on his thigh "we have several months"

Thankful that Cuddy understood, House nodded

"Also, I get you don't like these things, but you could have been a little nicer to them, they were only doing their job ..." she then said, knowing giving House an opportunity to insult Jamie and Tracy would help him calm down.

"Really?" House asked as he began to feel the effects of the white pill he so loved "because after the doves and swans all I could think was that those two should be thoroughly studied ..." he grinned lightly.

Nodding and agreeing that a lot of their ideas had been further over the top than she'd ever expected, Cuddy smiled "what do you say we go over the list they gave us and make some decisions ourselves? That way, they'll know what direction we're aiming for ..."

Nodding, House captured her lips, the pain in his thigh slowly dissipating as he kissed her "well, if you want, we could let them know the direction we're taking right now ..." he mumbled against her skin.

Grinning, Cuddy kissed him back a little then pulled away "I would, but then a nurse would inevitably overhear and next thing you know, the whole hospital thinks we're having sex in my office" she pecked his lips as she stood

"I'm good with that" he smirked as he watched her move around to her desk and sit back down

"Do you have a patient?" she asked as she opened her laptop

"Nope" House shook his head "last one turned out to be an idiot who swallowed a whole lot of Viagra hoping to keep up with his girlfriend, who, by the way, was twenty seven years younger than him and still had nothing on you" he smirked

"Ok, so either this guy was in his eighties, making her a sixty something year old, or you're trying to compliment me ..." Cuddy grinned as House, slowly, stood and began limping out of the room "which is it?" she asked

"I'll never tell!" he shouted over his shoulder as the door slowly closed behind him.

Shaking her head, Cuddy smirked, no matter how much he could piss her off, Greg House still knew _exactly_ what to say and do to get her feeling like a pathetic teenager.

* * *

That afternoon, after arriving home, Cuddy asked Wilson to look after Ben for a moment as she moved upstairs where an unsuspecting House was just getting changed out of his suit

* * *

"I looked up that patient of yours" Cuddy grinned from the doorway as she watched House, a pair of jeans on, his shoes tossed haphazardly to the corner, his shirt lying crumpled on the bed, sift through his dresser in search of a t-shirt

Grinning, his back to her, House turned his head slightly so he could look at her over his shoulder "did you? And what conclusion, may I ask, did you derive from that?" he asked

Taking the necessary steps towards him, Cuddy kissed his shoulder blade while running her hands across his back

"Turns out the Hugh Heffner wannabe was 48. From which I derived that his girlfriend had to be 21 years old ... so, yes, you _were_ complimenting me" she grinned as he turned around and wrapped his arms around her waist

"Was I now?" he smirked as she kissed the hollow of his neck, the highest point she could reach without him bending slightly.

Nodding against his skin, Cuddy smiled as he, in a matter of milliseconds, bent his head towards her and captured her lips.

Had there not been anyone else in the house, the two would have most likely successfully made their way to the bed which stood a mere five feet from them. However, there was someone else in the house, three someones, actually. And one of them chose that particular moment to start crying.

"Please tell me that's Ellie" House mumbled against Cuddy's jaw as they both froze half way to the bed.

"House!" they heard Wilson call from downstairs

"Damn it" House groaned as he slowly let Cuddy untangle herself from him and sat on the bed, watching her maternal instincts kick in as she exited the room and descended the stairs.

"I'll just stay here, then!" House called after her as he allowed himself to fall back on the bed. He _really_ hoped tomorrow would work out as he'd planned.

* * *

Smiling during dinner, Wilson swallowed the mouth full of mashed potatoes he was eating, and turned to House "Huh, I just realised"

"What? That, deep, deep down you're a woman?" House asked with a grin to Cuddy

"No ..." Wilson sighed "that tomorrow will be your anniversary"

Looking up from her salad, Cuddy didn't seem too happy as she watched House dry swallow and put on his best 'oh crap' face.

Fighting hard not to laugh at House's acting and Cuddy's angry look, Wilson continued "hard to believe it's been a whole year since House manned up, huh"

Nodding shortly and turning back to her salad, Cuddy didn't reply and, seeing his plan successfully take shape, House grinned and nodded at Wilson. God, they _really_ made a good team.

**TBC**

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed that as much as I loved writing it, also, I hope you all loved the – short - Huddy-ness in "Private Lives" as much as I did. "Be not afraid" to review :P_

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House Md, any of its characters or storylines ... _really _I don't! I wish I did, and someday I hope to own Hugh Laurie … but right now? Nope …_

_**A/N**__: Ok, there is no excuse for how ridiculously long it's been since my last update, I'm sooooo sorry :(_

_So, as I said in the last update, I had just started my second semester at uni and had a few new subjects, turns out those few new subjects amounted to a _whole_ lot of work. Then when I finally started my holidays a few weeks ago, I was hit by the worst attack of writers block in the history of writing (which I attribute to the fact that the show is finally going where my fics go, thereby making the whole writing thing feel pointless) ..._

_Anyway, in the last couple of days, I decided to try to push past the damn Writer's Block and write something. I apologise if it isn't as good as you expect, but I've been out of practice. I hope you're still there, because, as I've said multiple times, I still am and I _will_ finish this fic!_

_Thank you all so much for your reviews and thanks, again, to Hilly for constantly reminding me that I had some writing to do ... :) I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I hope you 'stay tuned' for the next (which I hope won't take too long to arrive)_

_Once again, sorry for the wait._

_Enjoy!_

_

* * *

_

The next morning, House was awoken in a less than endearing fashion by Cuddy's voice as she walked into the bathroom.

"Get up, we're going to be late!" she called as the door shut behind her

Smiling to himself, House rolled over and buried his head into her pillow. It was working. Normally, he hated it when Cuddy was pissed at him, but today, it was going to work in his favour, and she wouldn't know what hit her when he finally got his plan in motion.

"House!" her annoyed voice filled the room again, about ten minutes later, as she walked out, a towel wrapped around her torso

"Mmh ..." the diagnostician grumbled "no want ..."

"No care!" Cuddy called back to him as she opened the closet in search of something to wear.

Just as House was about to retort with some comment about the appearance of his fiancée's ass, a call came from the living room

"House!"

Sitting up and running his hand across his face, House sighed

"Ben is getting restless!" came his best friend's voice again as House swung his legs over the side of the bed and began to get up

"You're already late, get dressed and meet me downstairs in 20. I'll get him" Cuddy sighed as she pulled a shirt on quickly, tucking it into her criminally tight skirt and slipping into some heels.

Watching her ass as it left the room, House grinned, '_well played, sir_'. This was typical pissed off Cuddy: painfully sexy outfits to ensure House was aware of what his stupidity was costing him. But, ah, if she only knew that _this_ time it wouldn't work.

* * *

"Mom?" House spoke as the person on the other end picked up the phone

"Happy anniversary son!" Blythe's cheery voice floated through the phone. When House didn't reply, she sighed "you didn't forget, did you?"

Grinning at the exasperation in his mother's voice, House shook his head, not caring that she couldn't see him "no, I didn't. Lisa thinks I did, though ..." he trailed off

"What are you up to, Gregory?" Blythe asked suspiciously and House grinned once more, his mother knew him too well.

"Just a little plan in the works, nothing much. That's what I was calling you about, actually. Think you could watch Ben for us tonight?"

"Of course, but if Lisa doesn't know anything about this plan, how do you propose I arrive at your house to babysit your child without her becoming suspicious?" Blythe asked, thinking she'd found a loop-hole in her son's plot.

"Ah, see, if things go according to plan, and I see no reason why they shouldn't, she won't be going home until, I hope, _late_ tomorrow morning ..." he emphasised the 'late' while fighting the urge to wag his eyebrows, knowing no one could actually see him.

A sigh came over the phone "I'm going to steer clear of that then, before you go into details" again, House grinned at how well Blythe knew him "what time do you need me, then?"

"Well, Wilson's watching Ben for now, but I figure by five he'll be ready to pull his hair out, so, around six?" he smirked at the image of Wilson, two crying infants at his side, pulling his hair out in despair.

"I'll be there at four thirty" Blythe replied "will you be home?"

"If things go as they're supposed to, no" he then looked up to see movement in the outer office and concluded "call me if you need anything else, ok, I hafta go"

And he clicked off just as Foreman entered to room. Thankful that it wasn't Cuddy, House leaned back in his seat

"You paged?" the African-American doctor asked looking down at House as he leaned in his chair, his feet up on the desk.

"Yea, case" he tossed the file across the room.

Quickly scanning over the page, Foreman asked "what are you thinking?" with a slight frown.

Grabbing his cane and standing, House walked around the desk "I am not thinking anything. Well, except that my clinic hours start in ten, which gives me exactly five minutes to make my escape before the shrieking harpy attacks"

* * *

"Where is he?" Cuddy asked twenty minutes later after having searched the entire hospital for her illusive and, if she had anything to say about it, dead fiancé.

"Bolted a while ago" said Foreman barely looking up from the chart he was reading

"Said something about a harpy and clinic hours ..." Thirteen added with a smile, always one to enjoy the love-hate relationship between her bosses.

Sighing, Cuddy turned and walked into House's office fully determined to search every piece of paper on his desk until she found out his whereabouts.

What she didn't expect, however, was for him to have made her job extra easy.

_Looking for the no good doctor who is missing his clinic hours?_

Cuddy picked up the piece of paper and frowned. Was that an address beneath House's neat handwriting. It wasn't any address she recognized, but it was, definitely, and address.

Figuring she had enough time until her next meeting to find her soon-to-be-husband and kill him, Cuddy pulled out her cell and called a cab; there was no point getting lost and loosing precious time in which she could be murdering House.

* * *

"Excuse me" Cuddy said with a confused look on her face as she reached the reception area of what appeared to be one of the more upscale hotels in the area "do you know where I can find a Dr. House?" she asked the young woman behind the desk.

"You must be Dr. Cuddy" a short, chubby man said from nearby "I am the manager, Mr. Richford. We've been expecting you, if you follow me ..." he motioned with his hand for Cuddy to follow him towards the elevators.

If Cuddy wasn't confused enough as it was, the fact that the short man had just pressed the button for what she was sure was the penthouse certainly assured she was.

Walking out of the elevator, after the short ride, onto a large hallway, Cuddy's brow furrowed even more at the sign on the door they'd just stopped at; it read: Presidential Suite.

"Dr. House?" Richford called as he slowly opened the door with his key card.

As the door opened, and Cuddy, following the manager's gesture entered, the pieces started to fall together, at least somewhat.

"I believe Dr. House is in the living area through there" he gestured to an archway through which a few couches could be seen "I will leave you two, enjoy your stay"

With that, he was gone, the large double door closed behind him. Stepping forwards, unsure as to what to do, Cuddy called "Greg?"

Instead of a reply, she heard a few soft notes on the piano and swiftly followed the sound into the living room.

There, at the piano, sat House, his fingers caressing the pearly white keys, his eyes focused on her.

"House, what's going on?" she asked him from the doorway.

Smiling, House stopped playing and, slowly, stood and walked towards her.

Now barely an inch away from her face, he grinned "happy anniversary"

* * *

**TBC**

_I hope you enjoyed that and have at least slightly forgiven me for the long wait. I can't wait to hear from you guys again. :)_

_**Please Review!**_

_**CJS-DEPPendent**_


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